The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has revealed details of materials allegedly recovered from the Abuja residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
The disclosure was contained in court processes filed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, where the commission opposed a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by the former governor. El-Rufai is challenging what he described as his unlawful arrest, detention, and the search of his home.
According to the commission, its operatives executed a search warrant issued on February 18 and carried out the operation on February 19 at his residence in Asokoro, Abuja. The agency stated that the exercise was conducted in the presence of family members and security personnel.
The anti-graft body listed several documents allegedly retrieved during the search. These include investor account records, asset declaration papers, company registration certificates, corporate compliance files, loan approval documents linked to the Kaduna State House of Assembly between 2015 and 2023, and interim investigation reports involving the former governor and associates.
Other items reportedly recovered include share certificates, land ownership documents, valuation reports, powers of attorney, venture capital paperwork, payment mandates, and media materials connected to his time in office.
The commission also outlined electronic devices seized from the property. These allegedly include flash drives, memory cards, hard drives, laptops, and multiple mobile phones. The agency stated that all gadgets were catalogued, sealed, and documented for forensic examination.
It further noted that serial numbers and device details were recorded in an official documentation form. However, the commission acknowledged that El-Rufai indicated he did not consent to access to any of the devices recovered.
In response, the former governor’s family rejected the commission’s claims, describing the action as an attempt to criminalise his silence during interrogation. In a statement attributed to his son, Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, the former governor challenged the authorities to formally charge him if sufficient evidence exists.
The family maintained that his refusal to speak was an exercise of constitutional rights and not an admission of wrongdoing. They also questioned the validity of the search warrant and stated that their legal team has challenged it in court.
Since leaving office in 2023, El-Rufai has been subject to multiple investigations, including scrutiny over financial activities during his tenure as governor. The commission insists that its actions are lawful and fall within its statutory mandate to investigate corruption and related offences.
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