The family of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El‑Rufai, has accused the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) of mounting a “malicious smear campaign” in relation to a probe involving alleged surveillance equipment.
In a statement issued by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who is a member of the House of Representatives, the family rejected claims that the former governor refused to cooperate with investigators.
“The ICPC has ludicrously attempted to weaponise the silence of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai against him, claiming he ‘refused to cooperate’. We must educate the Commission on the most basic tenet of Nigerian jurisprudence.
“The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every citizen the right to remain silent. This is not an act of non-cooperation; it is a fundamental human right,” the statement partly read.
They also dismissed suggestions that specialised phone-tapping or espionage devices were found at a property linked to El-Rufai, saying only “old discarded personal mobile phones, flash drives, and laptops” were taken.
The family further questioned the legality of the search operation, alleging that the warrant used to authorise the raid was improperly secured and lacked jurisdiction.
‘Legally Defective Warrant’
They said their legal team has already approached the courts to contest the validity of the warrant and any material obtained under it.
“The entire foundation of this investigation is rotten. The search that purportedly uncovered these phantom items originated from a legally defective warrant.
“We have credible evidence that the warrant was a forgery, fraudulently procured and presented by a Magistrate who was, bizarrely, purporting to sit in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory. An illegality of this magnitude—a forgery at the very inception of a state-sponsored search—renders everything that follows it inadmissible and void,” the statement added.