El-Rufai Withdraws N1 Billion Rights Suit Against FCT Magistrate in Abuja Court
Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, has officially withdrawn his fundamental rights enforcement suit against a Chief Magistrate at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Magistrate's Court, who was named as the second defendant in the N1 billion case. The withdrawal occurred during proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
Court Proceedings and Legal Maneuvers
Ugochukwu Nnakwu, representing the former governor, informed the court shortly after the case was called to hear his motion exparte. This development followed Justice Abdulmalik's observation last Wednesday, when the matter was initially heard. The judge had identified significant flaws in the suit, particularly the failure to specify the magistrate who was sued as the second defendant.
Nnakwu subsequently sought an adjournment to properly identify the magistrate. At the resumed hearing, he informed the court that the matter was scheduled for a hearing of their motion exparte for substituted service of all court documents on the second defendant. However, he revealed that a motion to withdraw the suit against the magistrate had been filed, dated March 30 and submitted on the same date.
Legal Responses and Judicial Ruling
Ezekiel Rimamsomte, appearing for the police; Maimuna Shiru, representing the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF); and Abdul Mohammed (SAN), counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), did not oppose the application for withdrawal. Justice Abdulmalik, in a short ruling, consequently struck out the magistrate's name from the exparte motion.
Nnakwu then sought an adjournment to enable him to amend the suit. However, Mohammed disagreed, drawing the court's attention to reliefs one, two, and three in the former governor's suit. He noted that the prayers complained about the magistrate's search warrant issued to the investigating agency. The presiding judge thereafter adjourned the matter until June 17 at the instance of Nnakwu to allow him to file an amended process.
Parallel Developments in Kaduna Court
In a related development, the Federal High Court in Kaduna postponed the hearing of el-Rufai's bail application, prompting ICPC agents to remand him after yesterday's proceedings. The ICPC had released the former governor, who is facing corruption charges, from custody on Friday on compassionate grounds following his mother's passing.
The anti-graft agency arraigned him and his co-defendant on ten corruption charges on March 24, 2026. Trial judge, Justice Ridwan Aikawa, had set yesterday for the hearing of the defendants' bail applications and ordered the two defendants to be remanded in ICPC custody pending the hearing. However, on Friday, four days before the court's return date, the ICPC chose to temporarily release the former governor so he could attend his mother's funeral.
El-Rufai's lawyer, Ukpong Akpan, confirmed that the bail hearing stalled but declined to provide specific details. Shortly after the court rose, the erstwhile governor was escorted by ICPC operatives.
