The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission prayer to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the Abuja residence of a former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order after hearing an ex parte application filed by counsel for the ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha.
Moving the motion, the lawyer urged the court to allow the commission to open and examine the devices for inspection, forensic examination and extraction of data as part of its ongoing investigation involving the former governor.
The devices were among items recovered by ICPC operatives during a search conducted at El-Rufai’s residence in Abuja.
In a ruling, Justice Abdulmalik authorised the commission to access and analyse the contents of the devices, including public documents, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, pictures, call logs and other related information.
The devices listed in the order include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, ITB Transcend storage device, Toshiba storage device, Samsung mobile phone, Nokia mobile phone (N958GB), Blackberry mobile phone and a Google IDEOS phone.
Others are a Samsung storage device (SPO802N), a Remarkable tablet, an Apple MacBook Pro, a Seagate FreeAgent Desk external drive, a ZTE mobile phone, 10 flash drives and a Microcell memory card.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/499/2026 is between the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai.
Justice Abdulmalik held that the anti-graft agency was entitled to examine the items seized in the course of investigation for the purpose of forensic analysis.