IGP Asks Court to Trash El-Rufai’s ₦1bn Lawsuit; Accuses Detained Ex-Governor of Using Rights Suit to Dodge ICPC Corruption Probe

The legal battle between the Federal Government and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai reached a boiling point on Wednesday, March 11, 2026. The Inspector General of Police (IGP) made a bold move at the Federal High Court in Abuja, formally asking for the dismissal of El-Rufai’s ₦1 billion fundamental rights suit, labeling it a “distraction” designed to paralyze the hands of law enforcement.

In a “State of Harmony” with the ICPC’s ongoing investigation, the IGP filed a scathing counter-affidavit. He argued that the raid on El-Rufai’s Aso Drive residence on February 19 was a perfectly legal exercise of police power, carried out with a genuine search warrant. The police chief didn’t mince words, accusing the former governor of trying to hide behind a human rights claim to avoid answering for alleged financial improprieties during his eight-year tenure in Kaduna.

El-Rufai, who remains in custody, is “flipping the script” by claiming the search was a “state-sponsored invasion” riddled with errors. His legal team is demanding ₦1 billion in damages, citing psychological trauma and the “malicious” seizure of personal documents. They also argue that his detention has exceeded all constitutional limits, calling it a “political vendetta” now that the 2027 election cycle is drawing closer.

The day’s proceedings were cut short after El-Rufai’s lawyer admitted they were yet to respond to the IGP’s latest filings. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik has now fixed March 25 for a high-stakes showdown where the court will decide if the search was a lawful pursuit of justice or a breach of privacy. As the ICPC continues to sit on a mountain of seized electronic devices and “leaked” reports of foreign properties, the question remains: will the court allow the ₦1 billion suit to proceed, or will it pave the way for a full-blown criminal trial?