The federal government arraigned the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Thursday over allegations of breaching national security. The Department of State Services (DSS) brought a five-count criminal charge against him before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
A primary accusation in the charge is that El-Rufai wiretapped the telephone line of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu. The former governor pleaded not guilty to all counts.Following the plea, the prosecution requested three consecutive trial dates. However, El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, objected, noting that the defendant had been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since his arrest, which might hinder legal access during a back-to-back trial. Iyamu also highlighted a pending bail application filed in February, though the court had to briefly stand down the matter to resolve missing documentation in the case file.
When proceedings resumed, the prosecution did not oppose the bail application but moved for an order to protect the identities of two witnesses. The state requested that these witnesses use pseudonyms and be shielded from public records, citing concerns that their families could face retaliation from El-Rufai’s sympathizers. The defense strongly opposed this request, arguing that an accused person has a constitutional right to know their accusers.
Iyamu contended that there was no evidence El-Rufai posed a threat or commanded a “cult-like” following, adding that granting witness anonymity could unfairly prejudice the former governor. The defense also requested that the prosecution provide full proof of evidence and informed the court of a separate application seeking to quash the charges entirely. The court has adjourned the matter until May 18, 19, and 20 to hear all pending applications.
Source: https://www.thisdaylive.com/
