The arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, at the Federal High Court in Abuja was stalled on Wednesday after his defence team failed to produce him in court.
El-Rufai faces a three-count charge filed by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations of wiretapping the phone of ex-National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu.
During the hearing, defence counsel Oluwole Iyamu informed the court that El-Rufai was in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and therefore could not appear.
Iyamu requested an adjournment to enable the production of his client and also urged the court to consider his bail application, noting that the offences were bailable and that the prosecution had indicated it would not oppose.
The prosecution, led by Oluwole Aladedoye, argued that the bail request should be deferred, since El-Rufai had not yet been formally arraigned.
Justice Joyce Abdumalik agreed that hearing the bail application at this stage was premature and adjourned the case to April 23, 2026, for El-Rufai’s formal arraignment.
