Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a fresh ₦10 billion lawsuit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), alleging that the anti-corruption agency has denied him access to members of his family while in detention.
Mr El-Rufai is asking the court to declare that his fundamental rights, guaranteed under Part IV of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, remain valid and enforceable despite his detention by the commission.
The former governor is also seeking legal protection against what he describes as restrictions on his constitutional rights, including his right to maintain contact with his family during his detention.
The ₦10 billion claim forms part of the reliefs sought by Mr El-Rufai in the suit, which challenges the circumstances surrounding his detention and the alleged denial of family access.
His legal action adds to the ongoing dispute between the former governor and the ICPC, which has been investigating allegations linked to his administration.
Mr El-Rufai has consistently denied wrongdoing and has challenged aspects of the investigation and his detention through legal channels.
The latest suit is expected to test the extent to which constitutional protections relating to fundamental rights remain applicable to a person held by an investigative agency.
The court will now determine the merits of the claims and the reliefs being sought by the former governor.
