Federal High Court Grants ICPC Permission to Access and Analyse Devices Seized from Nasir El-Rufai's Residence

 A Federal High Court in Abuja has authorised the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to gain forensic access to multiple electronic devices recovered from the Abuja home of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Thursday, March 12, came in response to an ex-parte application filed by the anti-graft agency. The ICPC sought the order to enable inspection, forensic examination, and data extraction from the items as part of its ongoing probe into allegations involving the ex-governor.

Court documents detail a list of about 14 devices covered by the permission. These include various storage units such as a Sony HD-EGS device, a 1TB Transcend storage device, Toshiba and Samsung storage items, multiple mobile phones (Samsung, Nokia N958GB, Blackberry, Google IDEOS, and ZTE models), a Remarkable tablet, an Apple MacBook Pro, a Seagate FreeAgent external drive, 10 flash drives, and a Microcell memory card.

The authorisation specifically allows the commission to extract and analyse contents including public documents, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, pictures, call logs, and any related information deemed relevant to the investigation.

This development follows the ICPC's earlier search of El-Rufai's residence, during which the devices were recovered. The commission has previously disclosed recovering 15 electronic items in total, and in court filings, alleged the discovery of equipment capable of intercepting conversations claims that El-Rufai's family has strongly denied, describing them as fabricated and politically driven. The family maintains that only standard personal gadgets were taken and has challenged the legality of aspects of the search.

El-Rufai, who has been in ICPC custody under a series of remand orders, is facing scrutiny over alleged money laundering, abuse of office, and related financial improprieties tied to his time in government. A separate Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari recently extended his detention by another 14 days, pushing the timeline further as investigators continue their work.

The former governor has pushed back legally, filing a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC and others, alleging violations including unlawful detention. That case, heard in the same Federal High Court, was adjourned earlier this month to March 25 for further proceedings, partly due to service issues on some respondents.

The latest court order features the ICPC's determination to deepen its forensic review amid the high-profile case. Legal observers note that such authorisations for device analysis are common in corruption probes where digital evidence could prove pivotal, though they also raise privacy considerations that may feature in future arguments.

El-Rufai's legal team has repeatedly called for the ICPC to bring formal charges if evidence exists, rather than prolong detention. The commission, in turn, has maintained that the steps are necessary to conclude a thorough investigation.

Public reaction remains polarised, with some viewing the moves as essential accountability for past governance, while others see political undertones given El-Rufai's prominent role in Nigerian politics and his criticisms of certain federal policies.

As the ICPC proceeds with the authorised examinations, the case continues to draw attention to the intersection of anti-corruption efforts, judicial oversight, and the rights of high-profile suspects in Nigeria's ongoing battle against graft.