Court Plays El-Rufai’s Arise Interview, Admits Fresh Exhibits
The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday replayed a television interview granted by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, as human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju testified in the alleged phone-tapping case brought against the former governor by the State Security Service.
Testifying before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik as the second prosecution witness, Adeyanju told the court that the recording accurately reflected events during a February 13 interview on Arise Television, where El-Rufai spoke about the alleged interception of a telephone conversation involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Adeyanju recalled that reports had surfaced on February 12 suggesting El-Rufai could be arrested or invited for questioning after returning from Cairo, Egypt. He said he publicly advised the former governor to honour any invitation from security agencies, insisting the matter should not be viewed through a political lens.
The lawyer said both men appeared on the same Arise programme on February 13, though his segment aired after El-Rufai’s.
“I went to Arise, and El-Rufai was also on the show. My segment came after his. During his interview, I listened to him speak on many issues, and I countered many of the things he said because they were not true or were half-truths,” Adeyanju told the court.
He added that he was later invited by the SSS, where he made a statement.
“I confirmed that El-Rufai said that someone tapped and gave him the information. I put all that into writing,” he said.
Following an application by the prosecution, the court replayed the interview earlier tendered through the first prosecution witness. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), Adeyanju tendered the subpoena compelling his appearance, admitted as Exhibit G without objection from defence counsel Paul Erokoro (SAN). A flash drive of Adeyanju’s own television appearance and a certificate of compliance were admitted as Exhibits H and H1.
Under cross-examination, Erokoro asked whether El-Rufai had expressly stated that he personally tapped a conversation. Adeyanju said the former governor’s exact words were: “We listened to their calls.” He said he had no information about how the NSA conducts his communications and appeared solely because he had been subpoenaed.
The case traces back to February, when the SSS filed charges after El-Rufai claimed during an Arise Television interview that he obtained information from a tapped conversation involving Ribadu, allegedly revealing plans to arrest him. The secret police initially filed a three-count charge, accusing him of breaching the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act 2024 and the Nigerian Communications Act 2003.
On February 25, the court declined to hear his bail application, ruling it premature since he had not been formally arraigned.
The charge was later amended to five counts, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, with El-Rufai denying all allegations at his April 23 arraignment. Justice Abdulmalik granted him bail of N100 million with stringent surety conditions and ordered him to deposit his international passports.
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023 and previously served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, had argued that the DSS lacked legal backing to elevate a “casual remark” into a confession.
Justice Abdulmalik adjourned proceedings until June 23 for continuation of trial.