The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai seeking to prevent the DSS, ICPC and other agencies from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his assets.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the action amounted to an abuse of court process, noting that El-Rufai had filed a similar case before the Federal Capital Territory High Court. She also held that the suit was speculative and disclosed no reasonable cause of action against the EFCC, DSS and Attorney-General of the Federation, ordering that their names be struck out.
Filed on February 24, 2026, the suit sought to protect five naira and domiciliary accounts held with Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and Access Bank. El-Rufai argued that his severance benefits from his 2015–2023 tenure as governor were not reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity and that properties acquired with the funds were lawful.
He also sought a perpetual injunction against the freezing, seizure or forfeiture of his assets, ₦1 billion in damages and ₦100 million in legal costs. His lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, argued that forfeiture proceedings unsupported by credible evidence could violate his fundamental rights, including the presumption of innocence and right to fair hearing.
The ICPC opposed the suit, arguing that El-Rufai had filed three overlapping cases within 12 days over issues connected to the same criminal investigation.
The commission cited a separate Federal High Court case challenging a search warrant and a suit before the FCT High Court contesting a remand order, warning that multiple proceedings could amount to forum shopping and produce conflicting judgments.
The DSS and the Attorney-General’s office also urged the court to dismiss the action, arguing that it was speculative and that law enforcement agencies were legally empowered to seek interim forfeiture orders through the courts.
Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the respondents, ruling that the suit constituted an abuse of court process and that courts could not be used to stop law enforcement agencies from performing their statutory duties.
