El-Rufai Threatens ICPC with N15.6bn Defamation Suit

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has issued a pre-action notice threatening to sue the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for N15.6 billion. His lawyer, Ubong Akpan, accused the ICPC of contempt of court and malicious prosecution, asserting that the commission's statements and actions, including an alleged unlawful detention, are defamatory.

The notice, dated March 4, 2026, claims that the ICPC issued a defamatory press statement on March 2, 2026, alleging El-Rufai's refusal to cooperate with an investigation into financial irregularities during his tenure from 2015 to 2023. El-Rufai's legal team argues that the claims misrepresent his rights, citing constitutional protections against self-incrimination.

They demand the immediate release of El-Rufai and a retraction of the ICPC's statements. The total claim includes N5 billion in compensatory damages, N5 billion in exemplary damages, N500 million for injury from falsehood, and N100 million for legal costs.