Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a fresh suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, asking the court to restrain the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his property.
The suit, filed by El-Rufai’s lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, requests an interim injunction directing the agencies to maintain the status quo pending the hearing and determination of the substantive motion.
According to the former governor, the injunction is necessary to prevent a fait accompli, a legal principle recognising that irreversible actions can harm parties before the court has ruled.
El-Rufai, who served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023, listed several bank accounts involved, including Zenith Bank, GTB, and Access Bank, and stressed that his severance pay and properties acquired from it were lawful entitlements.
He argued that his severance pay, calculated at 300% of his annual basic salary under Kaduna State law, cannot reasonably be suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.
In the originating court process, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2026, El-Rufai sought eight reliefs, including declarations that any attempt by the agencies to freeze or seize his assets without credible evidence would violate his fundamental rights. He cited Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and a Supreme Court ruling in Melrose General Services Ltd v. EFCC (2024), stressing that the presumption of innocence must be upheld.
The former governor also asked the court for perpetual injunctions preventing the ICPC, EFCC, DSS, and AGF from taking any action that might interfere with his property and accounts.
In addition, he requested N1 billion in general, exemplary, and aggravated damages, as well as N100 million in legal costs, citing the psychological distress, reputational harm, and anxiety caused by the threat of unlawful forfeiture proceedings.
El-Rufai emphasised that he has never been convicted of any criminal offence and has consistently challenged anyone to provide evidence of wrongdoing, a challenge that has gone unanswered.
He added that his severance pay and other lawful earnings were used to acquire property and maintain his accounts in accordance with Kaduna State law, including the Pension and Gratuity (Governor and Deputy Governor) Law 2006, as amended.
The former governor also noted the importance of including the AGF in the suit, arguing that as the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, any court order must bind the Federal Government as a whole.
El-Rufai warned that any action by the respondents lacking credible evidence would be baseless and constitute an unlawful violation of his rights.
He concluded that he has “come to this court with clean hands, has nothing to hide, and is ready and willing to cooperate with any lawful investigation conducted in accordance with due process.”
The court is yet to schedule a hearing date for the application.
