Former Kaduna State Gov. Nasir El-Rufai withdrew his fundamental rights suit against a chief magistrate (2nd defendant) at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday in his N1 billion case against anti-corruption agencies.
Ugochukwu Nnakwu, counsel for El-Rufai, informed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik shortly after the case was called.
The move followed the judge’s earlier observation that the suit failed to name the magistrate properly, prompting an adjournment. Nnakwu filed a withdrawal motion dated March 30, also seeking to strike out a prior ex-parte motion for substituted service.
Counsel for the police, AGF, and ICPC did not oppose.
Justice Abdulmalik struck out the magistrate and the motion, then adjourned to June 17 for El-Rufai’s proposed amended suit—despite ICPC’s counsel Abdul Mohammed, SAN, objecting that key reliefs targeted the now-removed defendant.
El-Rufai’s suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026), filed Feb. 20, alleges ICPC and police violated his rights under Sections 34–37 of the Constitution via a Feb. 19 search of his Aso Drive residence.
He seeks declarations of invalidity, return of seized items, an injunction against using the evidence, and N1 billion in damages.
ICPC and police countered that the search followed a valid Feb. 18 warrant, was witnessed by El-Rufai’s wife and son, and stemmed from a petition.
They listed recovered items and urged dismissal, denying any procedural breach. (NAN)
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