El-Rufai Denies Wrongdoing As DSS Presents TV Interview In Court

The trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, took a dramatic turn on Monday after a witness from the Department of State Services (DSS) told the Federal High Court in Abuja that the agency uncovered alleged illegal phone interception involving the former governor through a television interview aired on Arise Television.

The witness, whose identity was concealed for security reasons and identified only as “APC,” appeared before the court as the first prosecution witness in the high-profile case involving alleged unlawful interception of phone conversations linked to National Security Adviser (NSA) Nuhu Ribadu.

Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), the DSS operative told the court that the agency had prior intelligence indicating that El-Rufai would appear on Arise TV’s Prime Time programme.

According to the witness, DSS operatives monitored the interview closely and later concluded that certain remarks made by the former governor amounted to a confessional statement.

“My Lord, the service got information that the defendant would appear on Arise TV Prime Time Show,” the witness said.

He explained that after watching the programme, he immediately briefed senior officials of the DSS.

“I told them that there was a confessional statement where the defendant said he tapped the conversation of the National Security Adviser,” the operative added.

The court heard that the DSS subsequently copied the interview into a flash drive and preserved it as part of the prosecution’s evidence in the case.

The prosecution later tendered the flash drive and a certificate of compliance before the court. Counsel to El-Rufai, Paul Erokoro (SAN), did not object to the admissibility of the materials.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik thereafter admitted both items as exhibits.

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Following the ruling, the prosecution applied for the interview video to be played openly in court, a request that was granted by the judge.

El-Rufai, dressed in a blue agbada, watched the footage from the dock alongside members of his legal team and other observers present in court.

During the interview played in court, the former governor spoke extensively about an alleged encounter with DSS operatives at the Abuja airport after returning from Egypt.

According to El-Rufai, security officials approached him at the airport and attempted to compel him to accompany them without presenting any formal invitation or official document.

“I came out of the plane and a young man came to me and said, ‘I am SSS and they would want to meet with me in our office,’” El-Rufai said in the recorded interview.

The former governor further alleged during the broadcast that the operation against him was ordered by the National Security Adviser.

According to him, information about the alleged directive was obtained through intercepted phone conversations.

“We listened to their calls, someone tapped the phone conversation and told us that he gave the order,” El-Rufai stated in the interview shown in court.

That statement immediately became one of the major issues raised by the prosecution in the ongoing trial.

The DSS is prosecuting El-Rufai on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged unlawful interception of communications, breach of national security protocols, and offences connected to provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act.

The prosecution alleged that the former governor unlawfully interfered with communications classified as part of Nigeria’s Critical National Information Infrastructure.

During the proceedings, El-Rufai also accused security agencies of being used against him for political purposes.

He claimed he was being targeted because of political alignments linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s second-term ambitions.

The former governor insisted he had nothing to hide and challenged anyone to produce evidence that he stole public funds during his time in office.

Proceedings were briefly interrupted after the audio quality of the video deteriorated during playback.

Following the technical issue, the prosecution requested additional time to produce a clearer version of the recording, a move the defence did not oppose.

Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter for continuation of hearing.

Earlier, the court granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.

The judge ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must own landed property in either Maitama or Asokoro, Abuja.

The court also ordered the former governor to surrender all international passports and report monthly to the DSS headquarters pending the determination of the case.

Justice Abdulmalik further approved the prosecution’s request for DSS witnesses to testify under protection throughout the trial.

The court equally dismissed objections raised by the defence challenging the amended charges and granted accelerated hearing in the matter.

El-Rufai Denies Wrongdoing As DSS Presents TV Interview In Court

ICPC Denies Blocking El-Rufai From Receiving Food, Medical Care In Detention

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has dismissed allegations that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was denied access to food, family members, and medical care while in detention.

The anti-graft agency described the claims as “false and misleading,” insisting that the former governor has continued to receive medical attention and family visits in line with the commission’s detention protocols.

The controversy followed allegations by Mohammed Bello, the lawmaker representing Kaduna North Federal Constituency and son of the former governor, who accused the ICPC of violating his father’s fundamental human rights.

Bello claimed that officials of the commission prevented El-Rufai’s wife from delivering food to him and also blocked his personal doctor from seeing him to discuss the outcome of recent medical examinations.

According to the lawmaker, the doctor was allegedly informed that written approval from the ICPC chairman was required before access could be granted.

However, speaking during a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, ICPC spokesperson, Okor Odey, rejected the allegations and maintained that the commission had acted within established procedures.

Odey explained that the agency operates an access-control policy that allows visitors into the detention facility between 9:00am and 6:30pm daily.

According to him, El-Rufai’s wife arrived at the facility around 7:00pm, after official visiting hours had closed.

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“The families of all defendants and suspects in ICPC custody, including the family in question, were duly informed of this protocol and have, until this incident, been in compliance,” Odey said.

He disclosed that one of El-Rufai’s wives and a housemaid had earlier delivered food to the former governor at least three times between 10:30am and 5:30pm on the same day.

The ICPC spokesman also said the commission maintains a visitors’ register containing details of all approved visits, including family members, legal representatives, and medical personnel.

Addressing allegations that El-Rufai’s doctor was denied entry, Odey said the medical personnel were only subjected to standard security and identification procedures before being granted supervised access.

“It is a standard security procedure,” he stated.

Odey further revealed that the former Kaduna governor had recently been allowed to visit both his dentist and eye doctor under ICPC escort.

He added that El-Rufai also has access to in-house medical personnel within the commission whenever necessary.

The ICPC stressed that the former governor’s detention was not politically motivated, noting that he remained in custody because he had yet to meet the bail conditions earlier granted by the court.

El-Rufai has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19 over alleged financial impropriety linked to his administration as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023.

The former governor was arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court on April 13 on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds.

The commission maintained that it would not be distracted by what it described as “dramatised narratives” aimed at undermining lawful institutional procedures.

ICPC Denies Blocking El-Rufai From Receiving Food, Medical Care In Detention

Oyo school abduction: MURIC demands urgent rescue of remaining captives

IBADAN — The Oyo State Chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has alleged that the death toll from the recent abduction incident at Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle, in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, has risen to three persons.

In a press release issued on Monday, May 18, 2026, MURIC strongly condemned the gruesome killing of innocent citizens during the abduction, describing the act as callous, wicked and barbaric.

According to information available to the rights group, one teacher and a commercial motorcyclist were reportedly killed during the process of the abduction, while another abducted teacher, whose name was withheld, was later brutally beheaded in captivity by the terrorists.

The horrifying video allegedly released by the abductors, showing the gruesome execution of the teacher, has further exposed the frightening level of brutality now being unleashed on innocent Nigerians by criminal elements, MURIC stated.

The group described the incident as a tragic reminder of the deteriorating security situation in many parts of the country. “Schools are no longer safe. Rural communities are under siege. Innocent citizens now live in fear while criminals continue to operate with audacity,” the statement read.

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MURIC commiserated with the bereaved families, the management of Community High School, the people of Ahoro-Esinle, the entire Oriire Local Government, and the Government and people of Oyo State over the painful development.

The group noted with concern that among the abducted victims are innocent pupils, majority of whom are Muslims, alongside teachers who are predominantly Christians. MURIC therefore cautioned against giving the incident any ethnic or religious coloration, emphasizing that criminality knows no religion. “An attack on one innocent Nigerian is an attack on all,” the group stated.

While acknowledging the efforts being made by the Oyo State Government as well as security agencies, particularly the reported arrest of some suspects connected with the incident, MURIC insisted that more must be done urgently.

“We also sympathize with security personnel, including the Amotekun operatives and local vigilantes who reportedly lost their lives during rescue operations after encountering Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) allegedly planted by the abductors,” the group added.

MURIC stated that mere promises and routine assurances are no longer enough, stressing that the remaining abducted teachers and pupils must be rescued alive and without delay. “Every second counts,” the group warned.

Consequently, MURIC called on the Federal Government, the Oyo State Government, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Police Force, Amotekun Corps, and all relevant security agencies to intensify intelligence gathering, strengthen surveillance operations, and ensure the immediate rescue of the remaining captives.

The group also called for a comprehensive security audit of vulnerable schools and rural communities across Oyo State. “Government must not wait until more innocent lives are wasted before taking proactive steps. Preventive security is cheaper than mourning the dead,” MURIC stated.

At the same time, the rights group demanded that local collaborators, informants and logistics suppliers aiding kidnappers within communities must be exposed and decisively dealt with according to the law. “Communities must stop shielding criminals under any guise,” the statement read.

MURIC declared that Nigeria cannot continue like this, adding that citizens deserve the right to live, learn, work and travel without fear of abduction or violent death. “Government at all levels must rise to its constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property,” the group insisted.

The group prayed to Almighty Allah to comfort the families of the deceased, grant speedy recovery to injured security personnel, and ensure the safe release of those still in captivity.

As of the time of filing this report, security agencies had not officially confirmed the rising death toll or the reported beheading of a teacher, but rescue operations are said to be ongoing.

Oyo school abduction: MURIC demands urgent rescue of remaining captives