Trial of Former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai Adjourned to April 23
The trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was stalled on Tuesday after he failed to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja for his scheduled arraignment over allegations of unlawful interception of the phone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
The proceedings could not continue following the inability of the Department of State Services to produce the defendant in court. When the matter came up, the court was informed that El-Rufai remained in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
Trial judge, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, subsequently adjourned the case until April 23.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and previously held office as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory under former President Olusegun Obasanjo, is facing a three-count charge bordering on alleged threats to national security.
The former governor was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over separate money laundering allegations before being transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The court later granted approval for the Department of State Services to arraign him on the fresh charges.
According to the charge filed by a team of five prosecutors from the DSS, led by M. E. Ernest, El-Rufai allegedly admitted during a February 13 appearance on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme in Abuja that he aligned with others to unlawfully intercept the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser. The offence is said to be contrary to Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024.
He was also accused of failing to report the alleged unlawful interception of the NSA’s phone conversations to appropriate authorities, an offence said to be punishable under Section 27(b) of the amended Cybercrimes Act.
In addition, the prosecution alleged that El-Rufai, acting with others still at large, used technical equipment in a manner that compromised public safety and national security, thereby creating apprehension among Nigerians. This allegation was said to contravene Section 131(2) of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
The charges stem from comments he made during a televised interview in which he claimed to have received information through a source who listened to the NSA’s telephone conversations. The development followed an earlier incident on February 12, 2026, when El-Rufai alleged that DSS operatives attempted to detain him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja upon his return from Cairo.
In a motion challenging the case marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, the former governor advanced 17 grounds urging the court to quash the charge. He argued that the charge was incompetent and legally defective, contending that the DSS lacked the authority to treat remarks made during a television interview as a confessional statement.
El-Rufai maintained that his comments on Arise TV were made voluntarily in a public discussion and did not meet the legal requirements for a confession under the Judges’ Rules. He argued that statements made without caution or warning during a media appearance could not be elevated to a judicial confession.
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