Nasir El-Rufai’s family denies ICPC claim of phone-tapping device recovery

The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has dismissed claims by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that phone-tapping equipment was recovered from his Abuja residence during a recent search.

The rebuttal follows an affidavit filed by the anti-graft agency at the Federal Capital Territory High Court, in which it stated that “electronic magnetic equipment capable of tapping conversations” was retrieved during a February 19 operation at the former governor’s home.

El-Rufai had earlier alleged in February that “someone tapped” the phone of Nuhu Ribadu, Nigeria’s National Security Adviser, enabling him to listen to a conversation in which the NSA allegedly ordered his arrest.

While acknowledging that phone tapping without due process would be illegal, the former governor claimed that such practices were routinely carried out by government agencies without court authorization.

The ICPC is currently investigating El-Rufai over alleged financial improprieties during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.

In court filings, the commission maintained that during the search operation, its officials recovered devices allegedly capable of intercepting communications. It further claimed that El-Rufai declined to grant consent for the agency to access the equipment for examination.

The commission presented the affidavit as part of its defence in an ongoing legal battle, including a ₦1 billion suit filed by the former governor challenging the legality of his arrest, detention, and the search of his residence.

However, in a statement issued on Monday, El-Rufai’s family described the ICPC’s assertions as “falsehoods,” insisting that no surveillance or phone-tapping equipment was discovered.

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“We were present when these items were seized. No equipment other than old discarded personal mobile phones — some dating back as much as 20 years — and storage devices like flash drives and laptops, which are standard possessions of any 21st-century citizen, were removed from the property,” the statement read.

The family also accused the commission of attempting to frame the former governor’s decision to remain silent during questioning as non-cooperation.

Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the family argued that every Nigerian citizen has the right to remain silent and that exercising this right should not attract adverse interpretation.

Additionally, the family alleged that the search warrant used for the operation was “legally defective” and fraudulently obtained. They disclosed that their legal team has challenged the validity of the warrant in court and is pursuing remedies over what they described as an unlawful search and defamatory claims.

The case is expected to test both the scope of investigative powers granted to anti-corruption agencies and the constitutional rights of individuals under investigation as proceedings continue before the FCT High Court.