By Ayomide Otitoju
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Services (DSS) on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged unlawful interception of communications.
At Thursday’s proceedings, DSS counsel informed the court that the charges had been expanded from three to five counts. The court subsequently struck out the initial charge sheet and replaced it with the amended version.
Counsel to the defendant objected to the development, requesting time to adequately confer with their client, citing his detention by multiple security agencies.
The defence also drew the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on February 17, along with a further affidavit submitted in support. However, the presiding judge, Justice Abdulmalik, declined to admit the additional affidavit, noting that it was not properly before the court.
The judge criticised the defence for procedural lapses and cautioned against disruptions during proceedings. The matter was briefly stood down to allow clarification on the filing status of the affidavit.
In a separate case, a Kaduna State High Court presided over by Justice Darius Khobo has adjourned the hearing of El-Rufai’s bail application to the first week of June 2026.
In that matter, the former governor is facing charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), including allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
Defence counsel, Ukpon Akpan, criticised the repeated adjournments, describing them as politically motivated, while maintaining that his client poses no flight risk. The prosecution, however, urged the court to consider the seriousness of the charges.
El-Rufai, 66, has remained in custody since February following earlier detention by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), although he was briefly granted release in March on compassionate grounds after the death of his mother.
