The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday adjourned the arraignment of former Kaduna State governor Nasir el‑Rufai to April 23 after he failed to appear for his first court date.
The Department of State Services (DSS) had on February 16 filed a three‑count charge accusing el‑Rufai of unlawfully intercepting a phone call, based on remarks he made during a television interview. The court had earlier scheduled Wednesday for his initial appearance.
Prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoyin told the court that el‑Rufai was not in DSS custody and was instead being held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). “The defendant was first detained by the EFCC. It is from the EFCC he was taken to the ICPC. He has never been in DSS custody,” Aladedoyin said, stressing that the prosecution could not produce the defendant for arraignment.
El‑Rufai’s lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, did not oppose the new date but urged the judge to consider granting bail under Section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, arguing that bail may be granted before arraignment and that keeping the former governor detained for another fortnight would be “oppressive behaviour.” Iyamu also said the DSS filed the charge on February 16 and later handed el‑Rufai to the ICPC.
The prosecutor denied that the DSS handed the defendant to the ICPC, repeating that the former governor had never been held overnight by the Service.
A Federal High Court judge granted the adjournment and fixed April 23 for el‑Rufai’s arraignment. Further procedural directions were not announced.
