RismadarVoice Reporters
October 22, 2026
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to present selected CCTV footage in a ₦10 billion fundamental rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
Justice Chigozie Onah delivered the ruling on Thursday, October 22, following separate applications filed by the anti-corruption agency and the former governor over access to surveillance recordings from the commission’s detention facility.
The court approved the presentation of selected portions of the recordings but rejected El-Rufai’s request to have more than six hours of footage played in full during open proceedings.
Justice Onah ruled that both parties would be allowed 20 minutes each to present relevant portions of the recordings.
The judge explained that the court could not devote several hours to watching the entire footage, while acknowledging concerns raised by the ICPC about sensitive security information contained in the recordings.
He indicated that any necessary examination of the complete footage could take place in his chambers.
The court also rejected El-Rufai’s request to compel two ICPC officials to appear for cross-examination, noting that fundamental rights enforcement proceedings are ordinarily determined through affidavit evidence.
El-Rufai instituted the suit on August 13, 2026, through his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, alleging that the commission unlawfully restricted access to his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and son, Abba El-Rufai, while he was in custody.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, seeks ₦10 billion in damages and other reliefs over alleged violations of his constitutional rights.
However, the ICPC disputed the allegations, maintaining that restrictions on family visits followed reported security breaches at its facility.
In a counter-affidavit, ICPC official John Uche alleged that a medical visit involving El-Rufai’s wife on July 7 was used for political discussions, prompting a review of security arrangements.
The commission also alleged that Asabe had previously entered the facility after visiting hours without proper authorisation.
El-Rufai challenged the agency’s account and demanded access to complete, unedited recordings covering June 7, July 4 and July 7.
He argued that the three video clips submitted by the ICPC did not provide a complete account of the disputed incidents.
The former governor also disputed the commission’s description of an encounter involving his son, maintaining that omitted footage could contradict its version of events.
The court’s decision addresses how the CCTV evidence may be presented and does not determine whether El-Rufai’s fundamental rights were violated.
Justice Onah adjourned the matter until November 3, 2026, at 1 p.m. for the hearing of the substantive applications.
The opposing allegations remain subject to judicial determination.
