The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has disclosed a list of documents, electronic devices and other materials it allegedly recovered from the Abuja residence of Nasir el-Rufai, former Kaduna governor of Kaudan state.
The commission made the disclosure in filings before the FCT High Court in Abuja in response to a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit instituted by El-Rufai against the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the State Security Service (SSS) and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
El-Rufai, a vocal critic of President Bola Tinubu, has been in ICPC custody since last month. He described the investigations as politically motivated and said he would challenge the allegations in court.
According to the ICPC’s filing, the search was conducted at 12 Mambilla Street, Asokoro, Abuja, between 1:37 p.m. and 3:56 p.m. on 19 February, based on a magistrate-issued warrant dated 18 February.
The agency said its officials were accompanied by personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and that the exercise was witnessed by Hadiza El-Rufai and Mohammed El-Rufai.
Financial documents
The commission said it recovered investor account statements and asset declaration forms belonging to the former governor.
It also listed certificates of registration for business entities, including Millennium and Harmonised X Ltd, corporate compliance documents, and client KYC records.
Other materials allegedly seized include African Democratic Congress welfare secretary documents dated 29 November 2025, records of domestic and foreign loans approved by the Kaduna State House of Assembly between 2015 and 2023, interim investigation reports involving El-Rufai and his associates, Ecobank Nigeria Plc share certificates dated 3 October 2008, land files, and student financial services documents.
Electronic devices
The ICPC said it recovered nine flash drives, one memory card and seven hard drives.
It also seized multiple laptops, including Apple MacBook Pro and Elumac Book Pro models, as well as mobile phones such as Blackberry, Nokia N95, Toshiba, Samsung IDEOS, Google IDEOS and 18 other devices.
The commission further claimed it retrieved a Remarkable tablet and chargers, along with folders containing flight tickets stored across various devices. It stated that all items were documented and sealed for forensic analysis.
Property records
According to the agency, valuation reports and deeds of assignment for properties at plots 18071, 13071 and 14 Kano Road were also recovered.
It said irrevocable Powers of Attorney covering multiple properties were seized, alongside documents linked to Afri-Venture Capital Company, including bank statements, cheque books and corporate records.
The filing added that payment mandates and media/publicity documents from the former governor’s office, materials relating to the 1st Saudi-Africa Summit, Nigerian Pilgrims Platform management, proposed residential developments in Abuja, as well as petitions and invitations involving the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia and the INC 20th Anniversary Colloquium, were among the items recovered.
Device documentation
The ICPC said a detailed device documentation form was completed for all electronic items, capturing serial numbers, device types, storage details and accessories.
It noted that the recovery operation was witnessed by Hadiza El-Rufai, Mohammed El-Rufai, Ajibade Abiodun and Asjuquo J.E on 19 February.
However, it acknowledged that El-Rufai indicated in the document that he did not grant consent for access to any of the devices found in his residence.
The commission stated that the materials would undergo forensic examination as part of ongoing investigations into alleged corruption and asset concealment.
Backstory
Since leaving office in 2023, El-Rufai has faced multiple investigations. In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly called for a probe into the alleged diversion of N423 billion during his tenure.
Security operatives had earlier attempted to arrest him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport after he returned from Egypt, while the SSS later seized his passport in connection with separate investigations.
He was subsequently detained by the EFCC for two days before being released on bail, only to be rearrested by ICPC operatives. He was in custody when the search of his residence was conducted on 19 February.
The ICPC maintains that its actions are lawful and within its mandate to investigate corruption and related offences.