Court Grants ICPC Access To El-Rufai’s Seized Devices For Forensic Analysis

A Federal High Court has granted the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) permission to access and analyse electronic devices recovered from the residence of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

The order was issued on Thursday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik while ruling on an ex-parte motion filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and moved by its counsel, Dr. Osuobeni Akponimisingha.

In its application, the anti-graft agency told the court that access to the devices was necessary for inspection, forensic examination and extraction of data as part of its ongoing investigation involving the former governor.

The devices listed in the application include a Sony HD-EGS storage device, an ITB Transcend storage device, a Toshiba storage device, a Samsung mobile phone, a Nokia N958GB phone, a Blackberry phone and a Google IDEOS handset.

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.

In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik authorised investigators to carry out a comprehensive forensic examination and extraction of data from the seized devices.

The order specifically permits the commission to retrieve and analyse information such as public documents, WhatsApp conversations, text messages, photographs, call logs and other related data obtained from the electronic devices as part of its investigative activities.