Phone-Tapping: El-Rufai’s Family Challenges ICPC Narratives, Search Warrant

THE family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El‑Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) of mounting a “malicious smear campaign” over a probe involving alleged surveillance equipment.
In a statement issued by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, a member of the House of Representatives, the family rejected claims that the former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) minister refused to cooperate with investigators, saying: “The ICPC has ludicrously attempted to weaponise the silence of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against him, claiming he ‘refused to cooperate.’
“We must educate the Commission on the most basic tenet of Nigerian jurisprudence. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right.”
They also dismissed suggestions that specialised phone-tapping or espionage devices were found at a property linked to their patriach, insisting only “old discarded personal mobile phones, flash drives and laptops” were taken.The family further questioned the legality of the search operation, alleging that the warrant used to authorise the raid was improperly secured and lacked jurisdiction, noting that their legal team has already approached the courts to contest the validity of the warrant and any material obtained under it.
They stated: “The entire foundation of this investigation is rotten. The search that purportedly uncovered these phantom items originated from a legally defective warrant.
“We have credible evidence that the warrant was a forgery, fraudulently procured and presented by a Magistrate, who was, bizarrely, purporting to sit in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.
“An illegality of this magnitude, a forgery at the very inception of a state-sponsored search, renders everything that follows it inadmissible and void.”
Recall that the media aide of the former governor, Muyiwa Adekeye, said his Abuja residence was searched by ICPC officials, explaining that the officials arrived at El-Rufai’s residence around 2 p.m. and immediately began searching the entire property.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain filed a N1billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the anti-graft agency over the incident, challenging the validity of the search warrant, issued on February 4, by the Chief Magistrate of the Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, listed as the second respondent in the suit.
Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), in the originating motion on notice filled on behalf of his client, sued the ICPC as the first respondent, while the Chief Magistrate; Inspector General of Police (IGP); and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) were named as second to fourth respondents, respectively.
In the suit dated and filed on February 20, by Iyamu, El-Rufai sought seven reliefs, including praying the court to declare that the search warrant authorising the search and seizure at his residence was invalid, null and void.