Court Dismisses Joel Adoga’s Rights Violation Suit Against ICPC in El-Rufai Trial
By Pan Afric Reporters
The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Jabi, has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mr. Joel Adoga, a co-defendant in the ongoing corruption trial involving former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, ruling that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) did not violate his constitutional rights during its investigation.
The development was disclosed in a press statement issued by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and signed by its Head of Media and Public Communications, Mr. J. Okor Odey, on Sunday.
According to the Commission, Mr. Adoga had instituted Suit No. CV/1012/2026 before the FCT High Court, alleging that the ICPC violated his fundamental rights by denying him access to his family and legal representatives and by allegedly compelling him to make statements while under investigation.
He sought several reliefs, including declarations that his rights had been breached, an order of habeas corpus, monetary damages, and injunctions restraining the Commission from investigating, detaining or prosecuting him over the matter.
However, the ICPC, in a joint counter-affidavit, denied all allegations, insisting that Mr. Adoga was lawfully invited and investigated following a petition and reasonable suspicion linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving the diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.
The anti-graft agency maintained that the applicant was granted administrative bail during the investigation and that any subsequent detention resulted from a valid remand order issued by a competent court.
The Commission further explained that after concluding its investigation, Mr. Adoga was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, where he was granted bail.
According to the ICPC, any continued detention was due to Mr. Adoga’s inability to meet the bail conditions imposed by the trial court and not because of any unlawful action by the Commission.
The ICPC also told the court that Mr. Adoga was never denied access to his family or legal representatives and that every statement he made during the investigation was obtained voluntarily, under caution and in the presence of his chosen lawyer.
Mr. Adoga is currently standing trial alongside former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, on a 10-count charge before the Federal High Court, Kaduna.
The charges include allegations that between 2016 and 2023, El-Rufai allegedly received various sums in United States dollars through his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank, including $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Mr. Adoga, as well as additional deposits of $155,800, $305,300, and several other sums from different individuals, which investigators suspect to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The ICPC further alleged that Mr. Adoga conspired with the former governor in July 2019 to disguise the origin of $10,000 deposited into the account.
Delivering judgment, Justice M.S. Idris held that the applicant failed to establish any violation of his fundamental rights by the Commission.
The judge found no merit in the claims and ruled that the ICPC acted within the confines of the law while carrying out its statutory responsibilities.
The court consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety.
Reacting to the judgment, the ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, the rule of law and the protection of the constitutional rights of all citizens while continuing to investigate and prosecute corruption-related offences across the country.
