Detained former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has instituted a fresh N10 billion fundamental rights suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that his rights were violated by the agency.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, was filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja.
El-Rufai alleged that the ICPC had repeatedly denied his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and son, Abba El-Rufai, access to him while in detention.
Through his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, the former governor asked the court to declare the alleged denial of access, particularly for the purpose of providing food, medication and other necessities, a violation of his fundamental rights.
He contended that the action contravened Sections 34 and 37 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, as well as Articles 5 and 18 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
El-Rufai alleged that ICPC officials physically restrained and intimidated his wife and son on July 7, describing the incident as an unlawful interference with his family relationships.
He asked the court to declare the continued denial of access to his family unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
The ICPC and its chairman were listed as the first and second respondents, while the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice was joined as the third respondent.
Among other reliefs, El-Rufai urged the court to order the respondents to provide him with unhindered and reasonable access to his family and legal representatives throughout his detention, in line with an earlier directive of the Federal High Court.
He claimed that the denial of access to his wife and son had prevented them from providing him with food, medication and other necessities.
According to him, the alleged action subjected him “to humiliation, emotional trauma, anxiety and psychological distress.”
He further argued that the respondents acted “arbitrarily, unlawfully and in a manner inconsistent with Sections 34, 37 and 46 of the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
“The respondents’ conduct amounts to an unjustifiable interference with the applicant’s dignity and family life and is therefore unconstitutional,” he added.
The latest suit is the second fundamental rights action instituted by the former governor against the ICPC.
In an earlier N1 billion suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, El-Rufai challenged the alleged unlawful search of his Abuja residence by the anti-corruption agency.
He questioned the validity of a search warrant issued by an Abuja Chief Magistrate, which the ICPC relied on to search the property.
El-Rufai, who served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023 and was previously Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, is facing multiple legal proceedings in Abuja and Kaduna.
One of the cases involves an allegation that he was complicit in the unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Although a court in Abuja granted him bail under stringent conditions, a court in Kaduna subsequently approved his continued detention in ICPC custody, while directing that he be allowed access to his family, lawyer and physician.
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