The prosecution noted that the offence was a breach of national security and violated Paragraph 7 (b) & (c) of the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 and punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the charge, after which the prosecution counsel, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), requested three days for the trial. Troops repel attack, kill 24 insurgents in Yobe FCTA converts Abuja hospital land to private estate Earlier, counsel for the DSS, Aladedoye, informed the court about the amended five-count charge under which the ex-governor was arraigned.

In his response, El-Rufai’s counsel, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), noted that his client had been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) where he found it difficult to access him, adding that the court ought to consider his bail application dated February 17. The prosecution further requested an order of the court for the concealment of the identities of witnesses expected to appear in the matter, such as shielding of faces and use of pseudonyms, to prevent possible attacks from the defendant’s supporters. But defence counsel opposed the application, arguing that the approval would affect the constitutional right of the defendant to know his accusers.

He added that there was no evidence before the court showing El-Rufai had any cult-like followership or posed a threat during the trial to warrant the concealed trial. After the submissions, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned to May 18, 19 and 20. The amended five-count charges which replaced the three-count read in part, “That you, Mallam Nasir EI-Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and unlawfully interfered with the communication of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, which constitutes Critical National Information Infrastructure (CNI) as contained in Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 gazetted as Statutory Instrument No. 21 of 2024, as admitted by you on 13 February, 2026 while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court and thereby committed an offence contrary to Paragraph 7(b) & (c) of the Designation and Protection of Critical National Information Infrastructure Order, 2024 and punishable under Section 5 (1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.

“That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, adult, male, without authorization, intentionally secured access to classified information by the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, ordering your arrest and detention on 12th of February, 2026, as admitted by you on 13 February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 6 (2) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024. Delays in El Rufai’s bail ruling Although El-Rufai’s lawyer pointed out the accessibility of his client within the three days of the trial as the ground to object to the adjourned dates and the DSS did not object to the bail application, the court did not rule on his bail immediately as expected.

Besides, El-Rufai’s other bail applications in the other trial before a high court in Kaduna on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and abuse of office valued at N579.6 million and $1.1 million, had been delayed several times. The court had on April 1 fixed April 14 for the bail. It later shifted it to April 21 and again remanded him in ICPC custody pending the trial from the first week of June.

Furthermore, journalists reported the blockage of coverage of the trial in Kaduna, which may explain the latest DSS application in Abuja to conceal his trial from the public, which lawyers say violated Section 36(4)(a)(b) of the Nigerian Constitution. The section stipulates that criminal trials must be held in public, except for a few specific terrorism cases. Worried by the restraining of his liberty, El-Rufai, on April 12, petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun