ABUJA: The Federal High Court in Abuja has ruled that CCTV footage from the facility of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s fundamental rights case can be played for only 20 minutes per side in open court.
Justice Chigozie Onah gave the ruling on Thursday, October 22, 2026, after considering separate applications filed by the ICPC and El-Rufai.
According to a report by Legit.ng, the judge rejected El-Rufai’s request for the entire recording, which runs for more than six hours, to be played in open court.
The court instead permitted both parties to select portions of the footage for screening, allotting each side 20 minutes from 1pm.
Justice Onah reportedly said the court could not be turned into a viewing centre, noting the time required to watch the full recording.
The judge also accepted the ICPC’s argument that some portions of the footage contained sensitive information that could expose its facility to security risks if shown publicly.
The court ruled that any full viewing of the recording would have to take place in the judge’s chambers rather than in open court.
The CCTV footage is central to the dispute between El-Rufai and the anti-corruption agency over events surrounding his detention and access to him while in custody.
The court also rejected El-Rufai’s request for two ICPC officials who had submitted affidavits in the case to appear for cross-examination.
Justice Onah held that fundamental rights enforcement proceedings are sui generis and are determined on affidavit evidence, making the request legally unsustainable.
The judge similarly refused the other reliefs sought by the former governor in the application.
El-Rufai filed the suit on August 13, 2026, through his lawyer, Ubong Akpan. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1852/2026, names the ICPC, its chairman, Musa Aliyu, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
The former governor alleged that the commission prevented his wife, Aichatou Asabe, and his son, Abba El-Rufai, from accessing him while he was in custody.
He is seeking ₦10 billion in damages, alongside other reliefs, including a declaration that his fundamental rights under Part IV of the 1999 Constitution cannot be suspended during detention.
In its counter-affidavit, the ICPC disputed several of El-Rufai’s allegations.
The commission, through its Chief Anti-Corruption Assistant in the Internal Security Support Unit, John Uche, maintained that the former governor was being held under a court order issued by the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The ICPC also stated that it arranged a medical visit for El-Rufai on July 7, accompanied by its officers and his wife, in compliance with a court order.
According to the commission, it subsequently received reports that the visit had turned into a political meeting, which it considered a breach of security protocol. It said temporary restrictions were introduced on non-essential access while the security concerns were assessed.
These assertions form part of the ICPC’s response to the allegations and have not, by themselves, resolved the substantive dispute before the court.
Justice Onah adjourned the matter until November 3, 2026, for the definite hearing of the substantive applications.
