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Ex-Gov, El-Rufai hits ICPC, others with N1bn suit for illegal raid of residence
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Ex-Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has filed a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Enforcement Commission (ICPC) for alleged unlawful invasion of his Abuja reresidence.
el-Rufai
Former Gov. Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State has filed a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Enforcement Commission (ICPC) for alleged unlawful invasion of his Abuja reresidence.
el-Rufai, through his team of lawyers led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, prayed the court to declare that the search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT (2nd respondent), authorising the search and seizure at his residence was invalid, null and void.
He urged the court to declare that the search warrant was “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause, thereby constituting an unlawful and unreasonable search in violation of Section 37 of the Constitution.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the former governor had, in the originating motion on notice marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, sued ICPC as 1st respondent.
el-Rufai named the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, Abuja Magisterial District; I-G and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as the 2nd to 4th respondents respectively.
In the suit dated and filed February 20 by Iyamu, the detained ex-governor sought seven reliefs.
He prayed the court to declare that the invasion and search of his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19 at about 2pm and executed by agents of ICPC and I-G, “under the aforesaid invalid warrant, amounts to a gross violation of the applicant’s fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, and privacy under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the Constitution.”
He urged the court to declare that “any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant, as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.”
el-Rufai, therefore, sought an order of injunction restraining the respondents and their agents from further relying on, using, or tendering any evidence or items seized during the unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution, or proceedings involving him.
“An order directing the Ist and 3rd respondents (ICPC and I-G) to forthwith return all items seized from the applicant’s premises during the unlawful search, together with a detailed inventory thereof.
“An order awarding the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) as general, exemplary, and aggravated damages against the respondents jointly and severally for the violations of the applicant’s fundamental rights, including trespass, unlawful seizure, and the resultant psychological trauma, humiliation, distress, infringement of privacy, and reputational harm.”
el-Rufai did the breakdown of the N1 billion in damages to include “a N300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security;
A N400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies and vindicate the applicant’s rights.
A N300 million as aggravated damages for the malicious, high-handed and oppressive nature of the respondents’ actions, including the use of a patently defective warrant procured through misleading representations.”
He also sought N100 million as the cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and associated expenses.
In his grounds of argument, the senior lawyer argued that the search warrant was fundamentally defective, lacking specificity in the description of items to be seized, containing material typographical errors, ambiguous execution terms, overbroad directives, and no verifiable probable cause.
He said this was in contravention of Sections 143-148 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015; Section 36 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) Act, 2000, and constitutional protections against arbitrary intrusions.
Specifically, Iyamu argued that Section 143 of the ACJA requires that an application for a search warrant be supported by information in writing and on oath, setting forth reasonable grounds for suspicion, which was absent here, as evidenced by the incomplete initiating clause.
He said Section 144 mandates particular descriptions of the place to be searched and the items sought, to prevent general warrants.
He, however, argued that the instant warrant vaguely referred to “the thing aforesaid” without any detail.
“Section 146 stipulates that the warrant must be in the prescribed form, free from defects that could mislead, but the document is riddled with errors in the address, date, and district designation;
“Section 147 allows direction to specified persons, but the warrant’s indiscriminate addressing to ‘all officers is overbroad and unaccountable.
“Section 148 permits execution at reasonable times, but the contradictory language creates ambiguity, undermining procedural clarity,” he submitted.
Iyamu stated that the execution of the invalid warrant on February 19 resulted in an unlawful invasion of his client’s premises, constituting violations of the rights to dignity (Section 34), personal liberty (Section 35), fair hearing (Section 36), and privacy (Section 37) of the Constitution.
He further argued that the search was conducted without legal justification and in a manner that inflicted humiliation and distress.
“Evidence obtained without a valid warrant is unlawful and inadmissible, as established in judicial precedents such as C.O.P. v. Omoh (1969) NCLR 137, where the court ruled that evidence procured through improper means contravenes fundamental rights and must be excluded,” he said.
The lawyer, who also cited the case of Fawehinmi v. IGP (2000) 7 NWLR (Pt. 665) 481, said the court condemned vague warrants as affording unbridled discretion and leading to abuse.
He also presented a plethora of cases to support his argument.
In the affidavit in support of the application, Mohammed Shaba, a Principal Secretary to the former governor, averred that on February 19 at about 2p.m., officers from the ICPC and Nigeria Police Force invaded the residence under a purported search warrant issued on or about February 4.
According to him, the said warrant is invalid due to its lack of specificity, errors, and other defects as outlined in the grounds of this application.
He said the “search warrant did not specify the properties or items being searched for.”
Shaba stated that the officers failed to submit themselves for search as provided by the law before proceeding with the search.
“That the Magistrate did not specify the magisterial district wherein he sits.
“That during the invasion, the officers searched the applicant’s premises without lawful authority, seized personal items including documents and electronic devices, and caused the applicant undue humiliation, psychological trauma, and distress.
“Now shown to me and marked as ‘EXHIBIT B’ is the list of the items carted away.
“That no items seized have been returned, and the respondents continue to rely on the unlawful evidence.
“That the applicant suffered violations of his constitutional rights as a result, and this application is brought in good faith to enforce the same,” Shaba said.
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to making education the cornerstone of sustainable development, declaring that government will continue to invest in measures that guarantee a safe, secure and conducive learning environment capable of restoring the state’s reputation as a centre of academic excellence.
Governor Mutfwang made the declaration through the Commissioner for Education, Dr. Mrs. Kachollom Pyam Gang, while declaring open the 4th Man O’ War Nigeria National Camping Exercise in Jos.
The week-long programme, holding from August 9 to 15, 2026, at the Citizenship and Leadership Training Centre, Shere Hills, is themed “Strengthening Community-Based Safe School Framework for a Secure and Resilient Nigeria,” with the sub-theme “Building Safer Schools Through Partnership, Preparedness and Collective Responsibilities.”
Describing the initiative as timely and strategic, the governor disclosed that the Plateau State Government is set to train one thousand security personnel who will be deployed to school communities across the state to strengthen safety and enhance the protection of students, teachers and educational facilities.
He noted that the initiative forms part of the administration’s broader efforts to rebuild confidence in the education sector and create an atmosphere where learning can thrive without fear.
Governor Mutfwang stressed that quality education cannot flourish in an atmosphere of insecurity, adding that his administration remains determined to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure that every child in Plateau State has access to safe and inclusive learning spaces.
He commended Man O’ War Nigeria and the Safe School Initiative for championing practical solutions aimed at addressing security challenges confronting schools across the country.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of the Safe School Initiative Nigeria, Hajia Halima Ibrahim, said the camping exercise was designed to strengthen the resilience of host communities in protecting schools from security threats.
She described Man O’ War Nigeria as a critical implementation partner whose nationwide presence and grassroots structure have positioned it to drive the objectives of the Safe School Initiative across the federation.
In his remarks, the National Commander of Man O’ War Nigeria, Adedamola Gbenga, explained that the exercise is a national capacity-building programme intended to equip coordinators from all the 774 Local Government Areas of the country with the knowledge, skills and practical strategies required to support the implementation of the Safe Schools Initiative.
He expressed optimism that participants would return to their various communities better prepared to promote school safety, assuring parents and the public that the training would contribute significantly to creating more secure learning environments ahead of the new academic session.
Also speaking, the Plateau State Safe School Coordinator, Brigadier General G. Shipi (Rtd.), described the collaboration between government agencies and Man O’ War Nigeria as both timely and strategic.
He urged participants to effectively utilise the knowledge acquired during the training to strengthen community-based security structures and foster safer school environments across Nigeria.
The opening ceremony attracted a broad spectrum of stakeholders, including representatives of the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Department of State Services, the Chairman of Jos North Local Government Council, academics, traditional rulers and other partners committed to advancing school safety and improving educational security nationwide.
As preparations intensify for the forthcoming Osun State Governorship Election, the Nigeria Police Force has urged members of the public to promptly report emergencies, security concerns and other election-related incidents through designated contact lines.
The public can reach the police through the following numbers:
📞 DIG Election: 08139235585
📞 CP Election: 08134277587
📞 Control Room: 08108756818
Members of the public who wish to report cases of police misconduct can contact the Complaint Response Unit on:
📞 08057000001
📞 08057000002
📞 08057000003
The police urged residents to remain vigilant, peaceful and law-abiding, stressing that timely reporting of incidents would help security agencies respond effectively and maintain a safe environment before, during and after the election.
Your voice matters. Report promptly. Stay peaceful. Help keep Osun safe.
Major Candidates in Osun Governorship Election
The 2026 Osun State Governorship Election is shaping up as a closely contested race, with 14 candidates on the ballot. However, the contest has largely centred on three major candidates — Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji, and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam.
Ademola Adeleke — Accord Party
Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election for a second term as governor of Osun State.
Adeleke, who won the 2022 governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), is now contesting under the Accord Party.
His campaign is anchored on his administration’s record in office, with the governor seeking to retain the state’s top political position for another four years.
Bola Oyebamiji — APC
The All Progressives Congress (APC) is represented by Munirudeen Bola Oyebamiji, a former Commissioner for Finance in Osun State and former Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).
Oyebamiji emerged as the APC candidate and is regarded as one of the strongest challengers to Adeleke.
The APC is banking on its political structure and support base across the state to return the party to power in Osun.
Najeem Salaam — ADC
Najeem Salaam, the candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), is another prominent contender in the election.
Salaam is a former Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly and has considerable political experience in the state.
His candidacy has also attracted attention as the ADC seeks to strengthen its presence in Osun and across the country ahead of the wider political contests leading to the 2027 general elections.
The Three-Way Contest
With the election approaching, the race is increasingly being viewed as a three-way contest involving Adeleke, Oyebamiji and Salaam, although other candidates are also participating.
The election will therefore test the strength of the incumbent governor’s political machinery, the APC’s efforts to reclaim Osun and the ADC’s growing influence in the state’s political landscape.
With voters across the state expected to decide who will govern Osun for the next four years, security, voter turnout, electoral integrity and the ability of the candidates to mobilise supporters peacefully are expected to be critical factors in determining the outcome.
The Nigerian Army has opened applications for eligible Nigerians seeking commission into the force under the Short Service Combatant Commission (SSCC) Course 50/2027.
The Army announced the commencement of the recruitment exercise in a statement released on Tuesday, saying the application is open to qualified civilians and serving military personnel who meet the required conditions.
Successful applicants will undergo training and, upon commissioning, serve as SSCC officers in the Combat Arms, including the Infantry and Armour Corps, as well as Combat Support Arms comprising the Artillery, Engineers, Signals and Intelligence Corps.
Prospective applicants are required to visit the official Nigerian Army recruitment portal at nashortservice.army.mil.ng and select the SSCC option.
Applicants are expected to carefully follow the instructions provided on the portal when completing their applications.
The Nigerian Army urged members of the public to disregard any recruitment portal or announcement claiming that applications were opened before the official publication.
The Army also advised prospective applicants to rely only on information published through its official channels.
Applicants and members of the public were further encouraged to watch for official recruitment jingles on television and radio stations following the announcement.
The deadline for applications is Saturday, October 17, 2026.
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