A FEDERAL High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, seeking to stop the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS) and other security agencies from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his assets.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the suit for not only lacking merit, but also being speculative, as no reasonable cause of action was disclosed against the agencies listed as defendants, and struck out the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) from the case.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2026, filed on February 24 by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), El-rufai prayed the court for an interim injunction directing the respondents to maintain the status quo ante regarding his assets, saying to prevent him from being placed in a state of helplessness.
He insisted that the severance pay he received upon completing his tenure as governor between 2015 and 2023 could not reasonably be suspected to be proceeds of any unlawful activity, urging the court to declare that properties purchased from his severance pay were lawfully acquired.
He prayed the court to protect from the respondents from freezing his accounts with Zenith Bank Plc; Zenith Bank Plc; Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Plc; and Access Bank Plc.
El-rufai also sought a declaration that any attempt by the respondents to apply for, obtain or execute any interim or final forfeiture or freezing order, without first establishing a reasonable suspicion supported by credible evidence as required by relevant law, would amount to a breach of his rights, citing Section 17(1) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Supreme Court decision in Melrose General Services Ltd v. EFCC (2024) SC/1519/2019.
He prayed the court to declare that, as a citizen of Nigeria, he is entitled to the presumption of innocence and the protection of his fundamental rights, arguing that any action by the respondents seeking to circumvent his constitutionally guaranteed rights through ex parte applications that conceal material facts would amount to a breach of Section 36(5) of the Constitution and a violation of the principles of fair hearing.
He demanded N1billion in general, exemplary and aggravated damages, citing the anticipated violation of his fundamental rights, psychological trauma, distress, anxiety and reputational harm allegedly arising from the threat of unlawful forfeiture proceedings.
He further sought N100million as costs of the action, including legal fees and associated expenses.
