A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a legal action by former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, which sought to prevent the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) from freezing his bank accounts and seizing his assets.
The court rejected the suit, stating it was speculative and lacking in merit. It did not find any reasonable cause of action against the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), DSS, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), subsequently striking their names from the case.
El-Rufai’s suit, filed on February 24, urged the court for an interim injunction to maintain the status quo surrounding his assets. He claimed that his severance pay from his time as governor from 2015 to 2023 should not be regarded as proceeds of illegal activity. He also asserted that properties acquired with his severance pay were legally obtained.
In support of his case, El-Rufai named several bank accounts, including those at Zenith Bank and Access Bank, and argued that any attempts to freeze his assets without credible evidence would breach his rights. He sought a declaration affirming his presumption of innocence as a Nigerian citizen and requested a perpetual injunction to stop any interference with his property.
El-Rufai also demanded 1 billion Naira in damages for anticipated violations of his rights and sought 100 million Naira in costs associated with the action.
The ICPC countered that the suit was an abuse of court process, stressing that it stemmed from an ongoing criminal investigation involving El-Rufai. They indicated that the former governor had filed multiple overlapping suits in different courts, which complicated the legal process.
The DSS, too, sought to have the suit dismissed, claiming it lacked a reasonable cause of action. The AGF noted that El-Rufai’s assertions were speculative and that interim orders were necessary for investigations.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the suit, agreeing with the arguments from the ICPC, DSS, and AGF that courts should not impede law enforcement agencies from fulfilling their duties.
