No spy equipment found in El-Rufai’s home, family fires back at ICPC

The family of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has denied claims that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) found phone-tapping equipment during a raid on his home.

In a statement signed by his son, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who represents Kaduna North Federal Constituency, the family said the ICPC was spreading false information to damage El-Rufai’s reputation.

The family said the Nigerian Constitution gives every citizen the right to remain silent, and choosing not to speak to investigators is not a crime. They accused the ICPC of wrongly suggesting that El-Rufai’s silence meant he was guilty.

They also said El-Rufai had told law enforcement agencies to charge him to court if they had any evidence against him. According to the family, he has been under investigation for over two years, and no charges have been filed.

On the claim that phone-tapping devices and sensitive security documents were found in the house, the family described it as false. They said only old mobile phones, some over 20 years old, flash drives, and laptops were taken during the search. They insisted there was no sophisticated surveillance equipment.

The family also questioned the legality of the search warrant used by the ICPC. They claimed the warrant was fake and was wrongly issued by a Magistrate who acted as if he had the powers of a High Court judge in the Federal Capital Territory. According to them, their lawyers have challenged the warrant in court.

They accused the ICPC of misconduct and said the agency was trying to embarrass El-Rufai in the media instead of following due legal process.

The family said they trust the Nigerian judiciary to handle the matter fairly and promised to take legal action against what they described as an illegal search and defamatory statements.