The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission to present selected Closed-Circuit Television camera footage in a N10 billion fundamental human rights enforcement suit instituted by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Presiding judge Justice Chigozie Onah ruled that the anti-graft agency could play pertinent portions of the security recordings captured at its headquarters during the alleged rights violation, while turning down the former governor’s prayer demanding that the complete six-hour video log be broadcast in open court.
Justice Onah declined El-Rufai’s request to view the full six-hour recording, observing that the court lacked the time required to review lengthy video feeds and asserting that the bench could not be converted into a viewing centre.
The court upheld arguments presented by ICPC legal counsel Yetunde Mosunmola, who cautioned that broadcasting the comprehensive footage publicly in open court would expose sensitive infrastructure details and create security vulnerabilities at the commission’s premises.
The judge noted that if the full video must be examined, such proceedings would have to take place privately inside the judge’s chambers.
Under the court’s procedural directive, both the applicant and the respondent were allocated 20 minutes each to play their selected extracts of the security footage in open court.
Justice Onah also dismissed supplementary prayers by El-Rufai requesting an order to compel two ICPC officers who submitted sworn affidavits to take the witness stand for cross-examination, stressing that fundamental rights enforcement suits are special procedures determined primarily by written affidavit evidence.
The substantive suit, which challenges the legality of search operations and enforcement actions executed at El-Rufai’s residence by security personnel, was subsequently adjourned to November 3 for a definite hearing.
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