Former Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State is waging counter-war at the federal government, initiating a N1 billion suit against the ICPC over perceived unlawful invasion of his residence in Abuja.

Counsels to El-Rufai, led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, on his behalf, filed a suit praying the court to declare that the search warrant issued on Febryary 4 by the Chief Magistrate, Magistrate’s Court of the FCT, authorising the search and seizure at his residence was invalid, null, and void.

The counsels demanded the court to declare that the search warrant was “null and void for lack of particularity, material drafting errors, ambiguity in execution parameters, overbreadth, and absence of probable cause, thereby, constituting an unlawful and unreasonable search in violation of Section 37 of the Constitution.

The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, demanded the court to declare that “any evidence obtained pursuant to the aforesaid invalid warrant and unlawful search is inadmissible in any proceedings against the applicant, as it was procured in breach of constitutional safeguards.”

El-Rufai further sought an order of injunction restraining the ICPC and their agents from further relying on, using, or tendering any evidence or items seized during the unlawful search in any investigation, prosecution, or proceedings involving him.

El-Rufai highlighted the breakdown of the N1 billion in damages to include:

A N300 million as compensatory damages for psychological trauma, emotional distress, and loss of personal security.

A N400 million as exemplary damages to deter future misconduct by law enforcement agencies and vindicate the applicant’s rights.

A N300 million as aggravated damages for the malicious, high-handed, and oppressive nature of the respondents’ actions, including the use of a patently defective warrant procured through misleading representations.

He also sought N100 million as cost of filing the suit, including legal fees and associated expenses.