256 Days In Detention: El-Rufai Seeks Fair Trial, Appeals To Trump, Macron To Intervene
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on United States President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron and other international leaders, as well as human rights organisations, to intervene by drawing attention to his continued detention.
El-Rufai made the appeal in a post on his X account on Friday, marking his 256th day in detention. He insisted that he deserves a fair trial, stressing that access to justice and the right to a fair hearing are fundamental human rights, not privileges or acts of favour.
“A fair trial is not an act of mercy. It is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right,” he stated.
In the post, which carried the hashtag #FairTrial, the former governor tagged Trump and Macron, alongside the United Nations, UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, European Union, African Union and several international media organisations.
He also mentioned the White House, the British government, UK Parliament, CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times and The Economist, apparently seeking to attract international attention to his legal challenges.
The appeal came days after the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed his no-case submission in a criminal case filed against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The case concerns the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
In her ruling on Monday, October 26, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the prosecution had provided sufficient evidence to warrant El-Rufai opening his defence, if he chose to do so.
The charges followed comments made by El-Rufai during an interview with Arise Television in February, where he discussed an alleged interception of Ribadu's telephone conversations.
The DSS subsequently filed charges against him, which he denied. The prosecution called two witnesses before closing its case.
However, El-Rufai, through his lawyers, asked the court to discharge him without requiring him to enter a defence, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case.
The court rejected the application and adjourned the matter until November 25 for the defence stage.
Beyond the DSS case, the former governor is also facing separate allegations of corruption and financial misconduct brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The cases relate to transactions and decisions made during his eight-year administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
In March, the ICPC announced that it had filed charges against him before the Federal High Court and Kaduna State High Court.
The allegations include money laundering, conversion and possession of public property, abuse of office, fraud and conferring undue advantage.
The commission also linked its investigation to a petition submitted by the Kaduna State House of Assembly over alleged financial irregularities involving approximately N432 billion during El-Rufai's administration.
El-Rufai was initially taken into the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in February after honouring an invitation. He was later transferred to the ICPC on February 18, 2026.
The commission said his detention was connected to investigations into allegations of money laundering and abuse of office, adding that his initial remand and subsequent extension were backed by court orders.
He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend the burial of his mother, Hajiya Umma, who died while receiving medical treatment in Egypt. He subsequently returned to the commission's custody.
His continued detention has also resulted in several legal battles, particularly over his bail applications.
On October 9, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna dismissed his appeal against the refusal of his second bail application by the Kaduna State High Court.
In a unanimous judgment, the three-member panel held that El-Rufai had failed to present fresh facts or special circumstances that would justify overturning the lower court's decision.
The appellate court consequently upheld the Kaduna State High Court's ruling of June 10, which denied him bail.
His lawyers had argued that the offences were bailable and that his prolonged detention was making it difficult for him to adequately prepare his defence, particularly in accessing his lawyers and witnesses.
However, the ICPC opposed the appeal, maintaining that the trial court acted appropriately in refusing the bail application.
El-Rufai, a prominent opposition politician and leading member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has repeatedly questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest and investigation.
He has alleged that his legal troubles are politically motivated, while maintaining his readiness to answer the allegations against him in court rather than remain in prolonged detention.
The ICPC, however, has defended its actions, insisting that its investigation and detention procedures were carried out in accordance with the law.
The commission has maintained that the allegations against the former governor should be resolved through the judicial process.
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