Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a formal petition and pre-action notice with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), seeking N15.6 billion in damages over what he described as his unlawful detention and other alleged violations
The petition, dated March 4, 2026, was prepared by a law firm led by Ubong Akpan and submitted to the ICPC headquarters in Abuja.
According to reports, El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since being granted bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 18, 2026.
This is not the first legal clash between El-Rufai and the anti-graft agency. He previously filed a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC following a raid on his residence by its operatives.
In the latest petition, El-Rufai is demanding N15.6 billion in damages, citing offences such as defamation, abuse of office, forgery and uttering of false documents, malicious prosecution, contempt of court, and violation of his fundamental rights.
Akpan described an earlier ICPC statement regarding El-Rufai as reckless, defamatory, and legally baseless.
The petition states in part: “It is with profound regret, yet resolute determination, that we address you. The Commission, established by law to combat corruption and uphold the highest standards of integrity, has descended into what can only be described as a circus of chicanery, theatrical posturing and media trial. Your press statement of today is not a communication from a law enforcement agency; it is the frantic scribbling of an organisation that has been caught with its hands in the cookie jar of illegality and is now desperately attempting to justify the unjustifiable.
“We place you on notice: this letter is not a press release; it is a formal pre-action notice. It is the final courtesy extended to you before we unleash the full weight of the law upon your institution for the catalogue of crimes, torts and constitutional violations detailed below.”
The breakdown of the damages sought is as follows:
- Compensatory damages: N5,000,000,000
- Exemplary/Punitive damages: N5,000,000,000
- Aggravated damages: N5,000,000,000
- Damages for injurious falsehood: N500,000,000
- Cost of action: N100,000,000
Total: N15,600,000,000.
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