Court Rejects El-Rufai's Bid to Halt Asset Freezing

On October 6, 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, dismissed a suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. El-Rufai sought to stop the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from freezing his bank accounts and seizing his assets.

Justice Abdulmalik ruled that the suit was an abuse of court process, as El-Rufai had previously filed a similar case in the FCT High Court. The judge described the suit as speculative and lacking merit, stating it did not present a reasonable cause of action against the EFCC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation, whose names were struck from the suit.

El-Rufai argued that his severance benefits from his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023 were lawfully earned and should not be considered proceeds of crime. He sought a perpetual injunction against the agencies and ₦1 billion in damages for alleged violations of his rights.