Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El‑Rufai has threatened to take fresh legal action against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), accusing the anti‑graft agency of defamation, forgery, and unlawful conduct in the course of its investigation into his activities.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a pre‑action notice dated March 4, 2026, and delivered to the ICPC chairman, El‑Rufai’s legal team, led by lawyer Ubong Akpan, alleged that the commission issued a defamatory press statement on March 2 that misrepresented his exercise of constitutional rights and relied on forged documents, including an alleged remand order, to justify his detention.
El‑Rufai’s lawyers argued that the ICPC’s statement “ludicrously attempts to weaponise our client’s exercise of his constitutional rights,” referring to his decision to remain silent during questioning, which they said is protected under the constitution and cannot be construed as non‑cooperation. They added that officials have acted with “unprofessional conduct” and accused the agency of manufacturing evidence.
The notice lists several alleged violations and outlines planned legal steps should the ICPC fail to comply, including filing suits for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, abuse of office, contempt of court, defamation, and forgery of a remand order. His legal team also warned of criminal proceedings for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice if any evidence is tampered with.
El‑Rufai is seeking ₦15.6 billion in damages, broken down into compensatory, punitive, and aggravated awards, plus amounts for injurious falsehood and legal costs, and has demanded the immediate release of the former governor. The notice also calls on the ICPC to withdraw its March 2 statement and publish retractions with apologies in national newspapers.
The legal battle follows ongoing investigations by the ICPC into alleged financial improprieties during El‑Rufai’s tenure as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, including claims related to wiretapping equipment allegedly seized during a raid on his Abuja residence, a claim his family has called misleading and baseless.
El‑Rufai’s team insists he will pursue the matter vigorously in court unless the ICPC meets the outlined demands within the timeframe given in the notice.
