Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and several other parties over what he describes as an unlawful invasion and search of his Abuja residence, court filings show.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, was filed on February 20, 2026 at the Federal High Court in Abuja by El-Rufai’s lead counsel Oluwole Iyamu (SAN). The former governor is asking the court to declare invalid and void a search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrates’ Court, which authorised the raid on his home.

In the originating motion on notice El-Rufai named the ICPC as the first respondent, while the Chief Magistrate, the Inspector-General of Police and the Attorney-General of the Federation were listed as co-respondents. He argues that the warrant was “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth and absence of probable cause.”

El-Rufai contends that the search and seizure executed by ICPC agents and Nigeria Police Force officers at his residence at House 12 Mambilla Street Aso Drive Abuja on February 19 at about 2 p.m. violated his constitutional rights to dignity of the human person personal liberty fair hearing and privacy under Sections 34 35 36 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). He is seeking a court order declaring any evidence obtained during the search inadmissible in any proceedings against him on the basis that it was obtained in violation of constitutional safeguards.

Among the reliefs El-Rufai is seeking are an order directing the respondents to return all seized items along with a detailed inventory and ₦1 billion as general exemplary and aggravated damages for alleged invasion of his rights psychological trauma and reputational harm. The suit also includes a request for costs associated with the litigation.

As of this report the ICPC has not publicly responded to the lawsuit. The matter is expected to be heard by the Federal High Court in due course.