Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has instituted a N1 billion lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), challenging what he described as the unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.
Through his legal team led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, El-Rufai is asking the court to invalidate the search warrant issued on February 4 by a Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), arguing that it was defective, overly broad, lacked probable cause, and violated his constitutional right to privacy under Section 37 of the Constitution.
He further urged the court to declare inadmissible any evidence obtained from the search and to restrain the ICPC and its agents from relying on or tendering materials seized during the operation in any investigation or proceedings involving him.
El-Rufai is seeking N300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma and loss of personal security, N400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct, N300 million as aggravated damages over the alleged malicious and oppressive conduct, and N100 million to cover the cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and associated expenses.
