A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Joel Adoga, a co-defendant of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Delivering judgment at the High Court in Jabi on Monday, Justice M.S. Idris ruled that Adoga failed to establish that the anti-graft agency violated his constitutional rights during its investigation, holding that the commission acted within the confines of the law.
“The applicant has failed to prove that the respondent breached his fundamental rights,” the judge ruled, dismissing the suit in its entirety.
Adoga had accused the ICPC of unlawfully detaining him, denying him access to his family and legal representatives, and compelling him to make statements during the investigation.
In the suit, marked CV/1012/2026, he sought declarations that his constitutional rights had been violated, an order of habeas corpus, monetary compensation and injunctions restraining the commission from investigating, detaining or prosecuting him over the allegations.
However, the ICPC rejected the claims, insisting that Adoga was lawfully invited for questioning after receiving a petition linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving the diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.
The commission told the court that Adoga was granted administrative bail during its investigation and was only detained pursuant to a valid remand order issued by a competent court.
“The respondent acted strictly in accordance with the law throughout the investigation,” the ICPC argued, adding that Adoga’s continued detention was a consequence of his inability to meet the bail conditions imposed by the trial court.
The anti-corruption agency also maintained that Adoga was never denied access to his family members or lawyers, stating that every statement he made was voluntary, recorded under caution and in the presence of his legal counsel.
After reviewing the submissions of both parties, Justice Idris held that there was no evidence to support the allegations of unlawful detention or violation of fundamental rights.
“The investigation and subsequent actions of the commission were carried out within the provisions of the law,” the court held.
Adoga is currently facing a 10-count charge alongside former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
According to the ICPC, between 2016 and 2023, El-Rufai allegedly received several deposits in United States dollars through his Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account, including $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Adoga, as well as other deposits of $155,800, $305,300, and additional sums from other individuals, which investigators suspect were proceeds of unlawful activities.
The commission further alleged that Adoga conspired with the former governor in July 2019 to conceal the origin of a $10,000 deposit into the account.
Following the judgment, the ICPC said the ruling reaffirmed its commitment to upholding the rule of law, due process and the protection of constitutional rights while carrying out its mandate to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences.
