A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai seeking to prevent the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and other government agencies from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his properties.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling on Thursday, October 8, 2026, holding that the suit amounted to an abuse of court process. The judge agreed with the respondents that El-Rufai had filed similar cases before the Federal Capital Territory High Court and the Federal High Court.
El-Rufai had instituted the case against the ICPC, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Attorney-General of the Federation. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2026, was filed on February 24, 2026, by his lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The former governor asked the court to restrain the agencies from freezing his bank accounts, seizing his assets or taking other steps against his properties while the substantive matter was being considered. He also sought a declaration that properties acquired with his severance pay after leaving office were lawfully obtained.
El-Rufai further requested ₦1 billion in damages, arguing that the anticipated actions could violate his fundamental rights and cause reputational harm, psychological distress and anxiety. He maintained that the severance pay he received after serving as governor from 2015 to 2023 should not be treated as proceeds of unlawful activity.
The ICPC opposed the suit, arguing that El-Rufai had divided issues arising from a single criminal investigation into multiple cases before different courts. The commission said this approach created the risk of conflicting decisions and constituted an abuse of judicial process.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik also held that the court could not be used to prevent law enforcement agencies from carrying out their statutory responsibilities. She described the suit as speculative and lacking in merit, while striking out the names of the EFCC, DSS and Attorney-General of the Federation after finding that the case disclosed no reasonable cause of action against them.
The government’s representative had argued that an interim forfeiture order is not the same as a final forfeiture order. She maintained that law enforcement agencies could apply to a competent court for such orders while investigations were ongoing.
The ruling concerns El-Rufai’s attempt to stop potential asset-freezing and forfeiture measures. It should not be interpreted as a criminal conviction or as a final determination of any separate allegations under investigation.
The latest decision adds another development to the legal proceedings involving the former governor and Nigeria’s anti-corruption agencies. Any further action will depend on the relevant proceedings and applicable legal processes.