Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has reached out to United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, seeking their intervention in his continued detention. El-Rufai made the appeal through a post on his official social media account, highlighting the number of days he has spent in detention and calling for international attention to his situation. He emphasized that his fundamental human rights must be respected.
El-Rufai's detention has been a subject of controversy, with the former governor accusing authorities of targeting him for speaking against those in power. He questioned the circumstances surrounding his continued stay in custody, arguing that every citizen deserves access to justice, regardless of their political position or differences with the government. El-Rufai's case has been ongoing, with multiple court proceedings in Abuja and Kaduna.
The former governor is facing separate allegations involving financial misconduct and other offences linked to his time in office. One of the cases concerns the alleged unlawful interception of telephone conversations involving National Security Adviser Ribadu. The Department of State Services (DSS) filed a five-count amended charge against El-Rufai over the matter, which followed comments he made during an interview on Arise Television in February 2026.
El-Rufai's legal team had filed a no-case submission, asking the court to discharge him on the grounds that the evidence presented by the prosecution was insufficient to require him to enter a defence. However, the Federal High Court in Abuja rejected the application on October 26, 2026, holding that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to warrant calling on El-Rufai to defend himself against the allegations.
The court directed El-Rufai to open his defence and adjourned the matter until November 25, 2026, for the next stage of proceedings. The decision means that El-Rufai will have to respond to the prosecution's case as the trial continues. His continued detention has also been a subject of legal arguments, particularly over his applications for bail in the separate financial misconduct cases being handled in Kaduna.
In October, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai's appeal challenging the refusal of bail by the Kaduna State High Court. The appellate court affirmed the decision of the Kaduna State High Court, which had rejected his second bail application on June 10, 2026. El-Rufai's legal team had argued that the offences were bailable and that his continued detention could affect his ability to prepare adequately for trial.
Beyond the phone interception case, El-Rufai is facing another major prosecution involving an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration in Kaduna State. The ICPC brought the case against El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Adebisi Lawal, and five companies, alleging irregularities in the procurement and award of the surveillance contract for Kaduna metropolis.
Key points
- El-Rufai appeals to Trump and Macron for help with his prolonged detention.
- The former governor is facing multiple allegations involving financial misconduct and other offences.
- El-Rufai's detention has been a subject of controversy, with the former governor accusing authorities of targeting him for speaking against those in power.
