Court Dismisses Joel Adoga’s Fundamental Rights Suit Against ICPC

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a legal victory after the Federal Capital Territory High Court dismissed a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Joel Adoga, who is standing trial alongside former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over alleged corruption-related offences.

Adoga had approached the court, alleging that the anti-corruption agency violated his constitutional rights during its investigation by denying him access to his family and legal representatives and compelling him to make statements while in custody.

He sought several reliefs, including declarations that his rights had been breached, an order of habeas corpus, monetary compensation, and injunctions preventing the ICPC from further investigating, detaining or prosecuting him.

In response, the ICPC denied the allegations, stating that Adoga was lawfully invited for questioning following a petition and reasonable suspicion linking him to alleged corrupt practices and suspicious financial transactions involving Kaduna State funds.

The Commission maintained that Adoga was granted administrative bail during the investigation and that any subsequent detention was based on a valid court remand order. It also insisted that he was never denied access to his family or legal representatives and that all statements obtained from him were made voluntarily in the presence of his lawyer.

Adoga is currently facing a 10-count charge alongside El-Rufai before the Federal High Court in Kaduna. The ICPC alleges that between 2016 and 2023, El-Rufai received various sums in U.S. dollars through his domiciliary account, including $320,800 allegedly paid in instalments by Adoga, as well as additional deposits investigators suspect were proceeds of unlawful activities.

The Commission further alleges that Adoga conspired with El-Rufai in July 2019 to conceal the origin of a $10,000 deposit into the account.

Delivering judgment, Justice M.S. Idris held that Adoga failed to prove that the ICPC violated his constitutional rights. The court dismissed the suit in its entirety, ruling that the Commission acted within the law throughout its investigation.

Reacting to the ruling, the ICPC reaffirmed its commitment to due process, the rule of law and the protection of constitutional rights while carrying out its mandate of investigating and prosecuting corruption-related offences.