El-Rufai Demands N15.6bn Damages from ICPC Over Arrest, Detention
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has demanded N15.6 billion in damages from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over what he described as his unlawful arrest and detention in connection with allegations of phone-tapping.
According to reports, El-Rufai filed a suit before a Federal High Court challenging the actions of the anti-graft agency, insisting that his arrest violated his fundamental human rights.
The former governor is asking the court to declare that the ICPC’s actions — including his arrest, detention and alleged harassment — were illegal and unconstitutional.
El-Rufai also wants the court to compel the commission to pay N15.6 billion as compensation for what he described as reputational damage, emotional distress and infringement on his liberty.
Background to the Dispute
The controversy stems from allegations that surfaced recently suggesting that the former governor was linked to the illegal tapping of phone conversations involving senior government officials.
Following the allegations, the ICPC reportedly invited El-Rufai for questioning and later detained him briefly as part of its investigation.
However, the former governor has strongly denied the accusations, maintaining that the claims are politically motivated and intended to tarnish his image.
Legal Battle Begins
In the suit, El-Rufai’s legal team argued that the anti-corruption agency acted outside its statutory powers and failed to follow due process in handling the matter.
They further asked the court to restrain the ICPC from taking any further action against him without proper legal justification.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had yet to publicly respond to the lawsuit or the demand for damages.
The case is expected to attract significant attention given El-Rufai’s high-profile political career and the ongoing debates over the powers of Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies.