These are not good times for the embattled dimutive former FCT minister and Kaduna state governor el_Rufai as anti-corruption agency ICPC says it has uncovered sensitive security materials and surveillance equipment during a search in his Abuja residence.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) made the disclosure in court filings submitted before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. In an affidavit sworn by one of its litigation officers, the commission defended its decision to raid el-Rufai’s home, insisting the operation was lawful and backed by a valid search warrant.
According to the ICPC, operatives executed the warrant at the former governor’s residence on Mambila Street in Abuja’s Asokoro district on February 19, 2026. The agency said the warrant had been properly obtained from a magistrate court prior to the operation.
Among the items allegedly recovered were electronic magnetic devices said to be capable of intercepting phone conversations, as well as classified security documents belonging to various government agencies. The commission further claimed that el-Rufai had previously admitted during an interview on Arise Television that he tapped conversations involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The ICPC stated that el-Rufai was asked to grant investigators access to examine the equipment but declined. It also maintained that his wife and son were present during the search and witnessed the recovery of the materials.
The legal dispute stems from a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by el-Rufai against the commission. In his application, he is asking the court to declare the search warrant invalid, arguing that it lacked specificity and amounted to a violation of his constitutional rights to privacy, dignity, and personal liberty. He is also seeking damages, the return of all seized items, and an order barring the use of any evidence obtained during the search.
In response, the ICPC has asked the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as lacking merit. The commission insists that the former governor’s detention was carried out in accordance with a remand order issued by a magistrate court in Bwari, which granted investigators 14 days to hold him while inquiries continue.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that el-Rufai threatened a potential prosecution witness and noted that one individual linked to the investigation has left the country. It said it plans to file formal charges before the detention order expires in early March.
Meanwhile, el-Rufai’s legal team argues that the search was unconstitutional and that any evidence obtained from it should be ruled inadmissible.
With both sides holding firm, the court is now expected to determine whether the commission acted within the bounds of the law or breached the former governor’s fundamental rights.
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