ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

The former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was on Thursday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations bordering on unlawful interception of communications and threats to national security.

El-Rufai, who appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, denied all five counts contained in the amended charge filed against him by the prosecution. The case was brought by counsel to the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), who informed the court that the earlier three-count charge had been replaced with an expanded five-count amended charge dated April 13.

ifeanyi-Okowa-delta
According to the prosecution, the amended charges include allegations that the former governor unlawfully intercepted communications linked to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, without proper authorisation. He was also accused of engaging in activities involving technical systems that allegedly posed risks to public safety and national security.

El-Rufai, however, maintained his not-guilty plea when the charges were read in court.

At the proceedings, his counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and did not oppose its substitution for the earlier filing. The court subsequently struck out the initial three-count charge and proceeded with the new counts.

A key point of contention arose when the prosecution requested that the identities of two witnesses be protected through the use of pseudonyms, citing security concerns. The defence strongly objected, arguing that such a move would undermine the defendant’s constitutional right to fair hearing and to know his accusers.

The defence also challenged the prosecution’s request for consecutive hearing dates, stating that it could limit adequate access to legal representation, especially given El-Rufai’s ongoing custody under the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

Additionally, the defence informed the court of a pending bail application, noting that an earlier missing affidavit had been recovered and submitted. While the prosecution did not oppose the bail request, it urged the court to dismiss a separate application filed by the defence seeking to quash the amended charge, describing it as lacking merit.

The defence further asked the court to compel the prosecution to disclose its proof of evidence to enable proper preparation for trial, but the request was also opposed.

After listening to submissions from both sides, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter to May 18, 19, and 20 for hearing.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

President Bola Tinubu has formally written to the Senate, seeking approval for a $516.3 million foreign syndicated loan to support the construction of the Sokoto–Badagry highway.

In a communication read by the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, on Thursday, President Tinubu requested a resolution in line with Sections 16 and 21 of the Debt Management Office (Establishment) Act, 2011, to enable the Federal Government to secure the financing for Sections 1, Phase 1A, and 1B of the project. The loan facility is to be arranged through Deutsche Bank AG.

President Tinubu explained that the superhighway project is a flagship initiative under his administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, designed to enhance national connectivity, reduce travel time, and improve the movement of goods across key economic corridors.

The proposed 1,000-kilometre road will link Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos states, connecting Illela to Badagry.

He noted that the financing arrangement will be backed by a partial risk guarantee from the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit (ICIEC), while the Federal Government will provide counterpart funding of over 265 billion naira for land acquisition, compensation, and related infrastructure.

According to the president, the loan is structured for nine years, including a three-year grace period, with an interest rate pegged at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange SOFR plus 5.3 per cent per annum. The Federal Executive Council has already approved the financing plan.
Following the presentation of the request at plenary, Akpabio referred the matter to the Senate Committee on Local and Foreign Debts, directing it to report back within one week.

Endorsing the move, the Senate President said that it is better to borrow for projects to improve road safety and foster national integration.

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

A Plateau State High Court on Thursday remanded four suspects in Department of State Services (DSS) custody over the March 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba Community, Jos North LGA, and adjourned the case till April 30, 2026, for arraignment.

The arraignment of the suspects was not fully carried out due to the absence of defence counsels. They were arraigned in connection to the tragic killings of Angwan Rukuba community which occurred on March 28 and left no fewer than 30 persons dead including women and children.

The four suspects who were arraigned in Court in Jos on Thursday included Isa Umar Ibrahim, Auwalu Abubakar, also known as Auwalu Dogo, Musa Abubakar Ibrahim, also known as Yaroro, and others were alleged to have conspired to carry out the deadly attack.

The Plateau State Government had filed the charges against the suspects over the March 2026 killings in Angwa Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.

The government said the suspects were arrested by the Department of State Services between April 3 and April 10, 2026, and have now been charged with offences including criminal conspiracy to commit terrorism and other related offences.

According to the charge filed by the State Attorney General, Philemon Daffi, the defendants acted “contrary to Section 269 and punishable under Section 270 of the Penal Code Law of Plateau State, 2017.”

The charge stated, “That you… did conspire amongst yourselves to commit offences relating to terrorism when you planned, organised, facilitated, aided, and contributed money to carry out the attack in Angwan Rukuba… which led to the death of over thirty (30) people.”

When the case resumed on Thursday at Court 12 of the Plateau State High Court in Jos for arraignment, all the suspects who spoke through an interpreter sought for an adjournment to enable them to contact their counsels to represent them.

The prosecution counsel and Solicitor General of Plateau State, Joel Tagven, didn’t raise any objection to the defendant’s prayer to adjourn the matter.

He, however, appealed to the court for the suspects to be remanded in DSS custody pending the next adjourned case.

His plea was granted.

“Ordinarily, the matter is suppose to come up today but in view of the request of the accused demanding for lawyers, we can adjourn the case to enable them get lawyers of their choice. I also appeal that the suspected be remanded in DSS custody for easy access and continuation of investigation,” the Prosecution counsel said.

The presiding judge, Justice Gidelia FomYom, adjourned the case till 30th April 2026 for the arraignment of the suspects.

The suspects were immediately moved out of the court in a bus to the DSS facility.

In an interview with journalists, the Solicitor General of Plateau state appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for providing the state with the enabling environment to prosecute the suspects in accordance with the law.

“We appreciate Mr. President for giving a marching order. And in fact, we appreciate him for four reasons. One, for giving the marching order whereupon the DSS made efforts which yielded to the arrest of these ones. Number two, the situation when met in the state over the years has been that prosecutions are not being done here in the state. The suspects are usually taken to Abuja and not prosecuted here.

“But today they’ve permitted us to prosecute them here. That is why we were arraigning them in court in the state here. And number three, you recall that when Mr. President came, he pledged or made an order that security materials, like the CCTV cameras and the like will be given to the state for purpose of security issues, and that will go a long way in helping to secure the state, and again, The issue of prosecuting them here, that’s another one.”

“This wasn’t the practice, but we give God the glory that this is now happening here, and it’s something to appreciate, Mr. President and the governor and even the Department of State Security for this collaboration and support to enable us have this matter prosecuted in the state,” the Solicitor General stated.