RismadarVoice Reporters
September 22, 2026
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to dismiss a ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over the search of his Abuja residence.
Fagbemi, through counsel from the Federal Ministry of Justice, Maimuna Lami-Shiru, filed a counter-affidavit opposing El-Rufai’s claims and urged the court to dismiss the action.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, arose from the February 19 search of El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, accompanied by police personnel.
El-Rufai is challenging the legality of the operation and the validity of the search warrant used by the authorities.
The former governor argues that the warrant was defective and that the search violated his constitutional rights to dignity, personal liberty, fair hearing and privacy.
He is asking the court to declare the warrant invalid and prevent the authorities from using or tendering items obtained during the search in any investigation, prosecution or other proceeding involving him.
El-Rufai is also seeking the return of items seized from his residence, together with a detailed inventory.
In addition, the former governor is demanding ₦1 billion in general, exemplary and aggravated damages over the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
The AGF, however, rejected El-Rufai’s allegations and maintained that the anti-graft agency and police acted within the law.
The ICPC has also opposed the suit, maintaining that the search formed part of an investigation arising from a petition against the former governor and was conducted pursuant to a valid warrant issued by a competent court.
The police similarly defended the operation, arguing that its officers acted within their statutory powers and lawfully executed a court-issued search warrant.
At Monday’s proceedings, the AGF notified the court that he had filed a counter-affidavit challenging the competence of the suit.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until October 27, 2026, to enable El-Rufai’s lawyer, Akinyemi Aremu, to respond to the AGF’s counter-affidavit.
The court has not yet determined whether the search warrant was valid or whether El-Rufai’s fundamental rights were violated.
