El-Rufai Fails to Get Order Stopping ICPC, EFCC from Freezing Accounts

A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai seeking to restrain the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other agencies from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his assets.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the judgment on Thursday, October 8, 2026. The court held that the suit constituted an abuse of court process because El-Rufai had earlier filed a similar case before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The judge also described the suit as speculative and lacking in merit. She ruled that a court of law cannot be used to prevent law enforcement agencies from performing their statutory duties.

In addition, Justice Abdulmalik struck out the names of the EFCC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) as respondents, holding that the suit disclosed no reasonable cause of action against them.

El-Rufai had filed the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2026, on February 24, 2026, through his counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Oluwole Iyamu.

He sought orders restraining the agencies from freezing, attaching, seizing, or forfeiting his bank accounts and properties pending the determination of the substantive case.

The former governor listed several accounts held in Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, and Access Bank (both naira and domiciliary accounts) among the assets he sought to protect.

He also asked the court to declare that the severance benefits he received after his tenure as governor between 2015 and 2023 were lawfully earned and could not be regarded as proceeds of crime.

The dismissal clears the way for the relevant agencies to continue their lawful investigative processes, subject to applicable judicial procedures.

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