Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and members of his family have asked the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), its chairman and other officials to pay N15.6 billion in damages over his arrest, detention and public statements he says were false.
The demand follows claims by the ICPC that “wiretapping equipment” was found at Mr. El-Rufai’s residence.
In a letter dated March 4, his legal team described a press statement issued by the commission on March 2 as defamatory and said it harmed his reputation.
The legal notice accused the commission of violating El-Rufai’s fundamental rights and set out compensation claims, including N5 billion as compensatory damages, N5 billion as punitive damages, N5 billion as aggravated damages, N500 million for injurious falsehood and N100 million for legal costs, totaling N15.6 billion.
The notice gave the commission 24 hours to respond, warning that failure to comply would prompt further legal action.
Planned steps include filing contempt proceedings against the ICPC chairman at the Federal High Court, pursuing fundamental rights enforcement and bail applications and initiating civil suits for malicious prosecution, false imprisonment, defamation and abuse of office.
The legal team also said it would report the alleged forgery of a remand order for criminal investigation, petition the Federal Capital Territory Judicial Service Commission for disciplinary action against the magistrate involved and file a complaint with the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights over the alleged violations of El-Rufai’s fundamental rights.
