Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and his family have demanded N15.6 billion in damages from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), its Chairman, and other officials over his arrest, detention, and allegedly false public statements made against him.
The demand follows claims by the ICPC that “wiretapping equipment” capable of intercepting communications and classified security documents was allegedly recovered from El-Rufai’s Abuja residence.
In a letter dated March 4, 2026, El-Rufai’s legal team described a March 2, 2026, press statement issued by the ICPC as defamatory and misleading, asserting that it caused serious reputational damage to the former governor.
El-Rufai, in the legal notice, accused the anti-graft agency of actions that allegedly violated his fundamental rights and outlined demands including N5 billion as compensatory damages, N5 billion as exemplary and punitive damages, N5 billion as aggravated damages, N500 million for injurious falsehood, and N100 million as legal costs, bringing the total claim to N15.6 billion.
His lawyers gave the commission 24 hours to comply, warning that failure to do so would lead to further legal action, including filing contempt proceedings against the ICPC Chairman at the Federal High Court, accelerating pending fundamental rights enforcement and bail applications at the FCT High Court, and initiating civil suits for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, defamation, and abuse of office.
They also threatened to report the alleged forgery of a remand order for criminal investigation, petition the FCT Judicial Service Commission for disciplinary action against the magistrate involved, and file a complaint before the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights over alleged violations of his fundamental rights.
The legal team emphasized that these steps would be pursued without delay if the ICPC failed to meet the demands within the stipulated time.
