Alleged Rights Violation: Court dismisses El-Rufai’s N120m suit
El-Rufai, who served as governor from 2015 to 2023 and as minister of the FCT under former President Olusegun Obasanjo's administration, had accused the respondents in the suit of violating his rights. The post Alleged…
Nasir El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and previously served as FCT minister under the Obasanjo administration, has remained a vocal critic of the current federal government since leaving office. The N120 million suit stemmed from allegations that he was subjected to unlawful surveillance, with wiretapping cited as part of the alleged rights breach, prompting him to seek redress through the courts against the Department of State Services and other named respondents.
Fundamental rights enforcement suits are a common legal tool used by Nigerians, including prominent politicians, to challenge alleged abuses by security agencies, though such cases often face procedural hurdles that can lead to dismissal without necessarily addressing the substantive allegations. The coverage across outlets is consistent on the core outcome — a Federal Capital Territory High Court dismissing the suit — but none of the reports detail the specific grounds for dismissal, whether El-Rufai plans to appeal, or the DSS's response to the allegations, leaving key questions about the case's merits unresolved.