The hearing of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Nasir El-Rufai against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and four other respondents was stalled on Tuesday due to the inability of the claimant’s counsel to serve the respondents with court processes.
El-Rufai is seeking ₦1 billion in damages from ICPC and the other defendants the additional respondents include the Magistrate’s Court of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Federal Ministry of Justice (Attorney-General of the Federation), listed as the second to fourth respondents.
When the matter came up before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court of Nigeria, proceedings could not commence because none of the respondents were represented in court.
Counsel to the former governor, Ubong Akpan, informed the court that although the case was listed for mention, service of the court processes on the respondents had not been completed. He requested an adjournment to enable proper service.
Justice Abdulmalik granted the request and fixed March 11, 2026, for further mention.
Among the reliefs sought in the suit, El-Rufai is asking the court to declare the search warrant issued on February 4 by the Chief Magistrate’s Court of the FCT—authorising search and seizure at his residence—as invalid and of no legal effect.
