The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Thursday searched the residence of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in Abuja.
Muyiwa Adekeye, Mr El-Rufai’s media aide, disclosed the development in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
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“UPDATE: The residence of Malam Nasir @elrufai was today searched by the ICPC,” he wrote.
Reacting, Mr El-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, described the operation as unlawful and a violation of his client’s fundamental rights.
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He did not state whether any items were seized during the search.
The ICPC had yet to issue an official statement on the operation as of press time.
The search comes amid a series of law enforcement actions involving the former governor.
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On Monday, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detained Mr El-Rufai over corruption allegations.
He was released at about 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and was immediately picked up by ICPC agents at EFCC head office in Abuja.
The ICPC has yet to comment publicly on the search of the former governor’s home.
Cybercrime charges
Separately, the SSS has filed cybercrime charges against Mr El-Rufai at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, followed comments he made during a live interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme last Friday.
During the interview, Mr El-Rufai alleged that the phone of Nigeria’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, had been tapped and that he overheard directives to detain him.
The SSS subsequently charged him with unlawful interception of communications and related offences.
Prosecutors alleged that he admitted intercepting the NSA’s communications, failed to report unlawful interception by others, and acted in a manner that compromised national security.
The controversy began last Thursday when security operatives attempted to arrest Mr El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja shortly after he returned from Cairo, Egypt.
Videos circulating online showed a brief confrontation between security personnel and members of his entourage.
Witnesses said his international passport was temporarily confiscated before he was allowed to leave.
Mr El-Rufai later claimed the attempted arrest was carried out on the instruction of the NSA through the SSS.
His lawyer condemned the airport incident as arbitrary and unconstitutional, arguing that an EFCC invitation had been delivered to Mr El-Rufai while he was abroad and that arrangements had been made for him to honour the invitation upon his return.
Background
Mr El-Rufai has faced investigations since leaving office as Kaduna State governor in 2023.
In 2024, the Kaduna State House of Assembly called for a probe into alleged diversion of N423 billion during his administration.
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He has also been summoned by the ICPC for questioning.
The former governor supported President Bola Tinubu’s emergence as the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate in 2023.
After Mr Tinubu’s inauguration, Mr El-Rufai’s ministerial nomination was not confirmed by the Senate.
He later became a vocal critic of the administration and recently joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC), pledging to work with opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general election.
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