The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Jabi, Abuja, has dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Joel Adoga, a co-defendant of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in an ongoing corruption-related trial.
Adoga had sued the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, alleging that the anti-graft agency violated his constitutional rights during its investigation.
The suit, marked CV/1012/2026, was filed after Adoga claimed that the ICPC unlawfully detained him, denied him access to his family and lawyers, and coerced him into making statements.
He asked the court to declare that his fundamental rights had been breached. He also sought an order of habeas corpus, damages, and injunctions restraining the ICPC from further investigating, detaining or prosecuting him in connection with the matter.
However, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey, the ICPC said the court found no merit in Adoga’s claims and upheld the commission’s conduct during the investigation.
According to the commission, it filed a joint counter-affidavit denying allegations of unlawful arrest, detention, intimidation, coercion, inhuman treatment or denial of access to Adoga’s family members and legal representatives.
The ICPC maintained that Adoga was lawfully invited for questioning following a petition and reasonable suspicion linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving the alleged diversion of Kaduna State Government funds.
The commission further told the court that Adoga was granted administrative bail during investigation and that any subsequent detention was based on a valid remand order issued by a court of competent jurisdiction.
It added that after concluding its investigation, Adoga was charged before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, where he was arraigned and granted bail.
The ICPC said any continued detention after his arraignment was due to his inability to meet the bail conditions imposed by the trial court, and not as a result of any unlawful action by the commission.
The agency also denied that Adoga was prevented from seeing his family or lawyers, insisting that all statements obtained from him were made voluntarily, under caution, and in the presence of his chosen legal counsel.
Delivering judgment, Justice Mohammed Idris held that Adoga failed to establish that the ICPC violated his fundamental rights.
The court consequently dismissed the suit in its entirety and affirmed that the commission acted within the law during its investigation.
Adoga is currently standing trial alongside El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and money laundering-related offences involving Kaduna State funds.
The ICPC alleges that between 2016 and 2023, the former Kaduna governor received multiple deposits in United States dollars through his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank.
The commission alleged that the deposits included $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by Adoga, as well as additional deposits of $155,800, $305,300 and other sums from different individuals, which investigators suspect to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The ICPC also accused Adoga of allegedly conspiring with El-Rufai in July 2019 to conceal the origin of a $10,000 deposit made into the account.
The defendants have not been convicted, and the allegations remain subject to determination by the trial court.
The ICPC said the ruling reaffirmed its commitment to conducting investigations and prosecutions in line with due process, the rule of law and respect for the constitutional rights of all persons.
