THE family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of orchestrating what it described as a “malicious smear campaign” over an investigation involving alleged surveillance equipment.
In a statement issued by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, the family dismissed claims that the former governor failed to cooperate with investigators.
They argued that the ICPC was misrepresenting his silence, stressing that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent and that exercising this right should not be interpreted as non-cooperation.
The family also refuted reports suggesting that sophisticated phone-tapping or espionage devices were discovered at a property linked to El-Rufai.
According to the statement, items recovered during the search were limited to old personal mobile phones, flash drives, and laptops.
Questioning the legitimacy of the operation, the family alleged that the search warrant used to authorise the raid was improperly obtained and lacked proper jurisdiction.
They described the warrant as legally defective and claimed their legal team has approached the court to challenge both its validity and any materials obtained through it.
In a strongly worded section of the statement, the family alleged that the warrant was fraudulently procured and presented by a magistrate who purportedly acted outside the bounds of lawful authority.
They maintained that any evidence arising from what they termed an illegal process would be inadmissible in court.
The controversy follows a search of El-Rufai’s Abuja residence by ICPC officials, an action earlier confirmed by his media aide.
The anti-corruption agency also acknowledged that the former governor was in its custody in connection with an ongoing investigation.
Subsequently, El-Rufai filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC, challenging the legality of the search and alleging unlawful invasion of his Abuja home.
Through his legal team led by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), he is contesting the validity of a search warrant reportedly issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
In the suit, the ICPC is listed as the first respondent, while the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate’s Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation were named as additional respondents.
Among other reliefs, the former governor is asking the court to declare the search warrant authorising the operation at his residence null and void.
