The arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai was postponed on Wednesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja after the defense failed to appear in court.
El-Rufai is facing a three-count allegation made against him by the Department of State Services for allegedly monitoring the phone of Malam Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Advisor.
At the hearing on Wednesday, defense counsel Oluwole Iyamu informed the court that his client was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and could not be brought to trial.
Iyamu begged the court to adjourn the case so that he could be produced, and he lobbied for the bail application to be considered, pointing out that the prosecution had indicated that it would not oppose bail because the charges were bailable.
However, the prosecution, represented by Oluwole Aladedoye, sought the court to defer the bail request, claiming that the defendant had not yet been arraigned.
In a quick decision, Justice Joyce Abdumalik ruled that because the defendant had not been formally arrested, the bail motion was premature.
The court then deferred the case to April 23, 2026, for arraignment.
Details later…
