Court Shifts El-Rufai Arraignment to April 23

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, postponed the arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, after he was not brought before the court.

The case, filed by the Department of State Services, involves a three-count charge over the alleged interception of the phone of the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu. The hearing could not go on because the defendant was said to be in the custody of another agency.

When the matter was called, defence lawyer Oluwole Iyamu informed the court that his client was being held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. He said this made it impossible to produce him for arraignment.

He asked the court to fix another date to allow his client to appear and also requested that the bail application be taken, stating that the prosecution had earlier indicated it would not oppose bail since the charges were bailable.

The prosecution team, led by Oluwole Aladedoye, opposed the move to hear the bail request at that stage. The lawyer argued that the defendant had not yet taken his plea and that considering bail before arraignment would not follow due process.

In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdumalik held that the court could not entertain the bail application because the defendant had not been formally arraigned. She ruled that the request was premature and adjourned the case to April 23, 2026, for arraignment.

The case is expected to continue on the new date when the former governor is expected to be present in court to respond to the charges.