Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed April 23, 2026, for the formal arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over allegations of unlawful phone-tapping. The scheduled proceedings on Wednesday suffered a setback due to the defendant’s absence, as he remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for a separate investigation into the alleged misappropriation of funds.
The Department of State Services (DSS) filed a three-count charge against El-Rufai following his controversial remarks during a live interview on Arise Television on February 13. During the broadcast, El-Rufai claimed that he and unnamed associates had intercepted the phone communications of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to gain advance knowledge of a directive for his arrest. The Federal Government alleges that these actions violate Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, and the Nigerian Communications Act, 2003, labeling the breach a threat to national security.
During Wednesday’s session, El-Rufai’s legal team, led by Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), attempted to move an application for bail. However, the court declined the request, upholding the prosecution’s argument that a bail application is premature until a formal plea has been entered. The judge insisted that the defendant must be physically present in court to be properly docked before any consideration of his release can be entertained.
The legal battle has expanded beyond the criminal charges; El-Rufai has filed a motion to quash the proceedings, describing the case as “political persecution” and a “gross abuse of the judicial process.” He is also seeking N2 billion in damages against the DSS, arguing that his televised comments were “casual remarks” rather than a legal confession of espionage. As the court awaits his production from ICPC custody, the April 23 date is expected to be a pivotal moment in determining whether the former governor will face a full trial for what experts call an unprecedented breach of high-level state communications.
