Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai made a dramatic entrance at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday morning, arriving under heavy security for his arraignment over corruption-related offences. The former governor, dressed in a light green babanriga and a matching cap, was escorted into the courtroom at approximately 9:34 a.m. after being brought to the court premises in a Hilux vehicle at about 9:00 a.m.
Journalists who had gathered at the venue as early as 7:00 a.m. to cover the proceedings were barred from entering the courtroom by operatives of the Department of State Services. The security team, comprising operatives from the DSS, the Nigeria Police Force, the Mobile Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, had been deployed around the court premises since 7:00 a.m.
Vehicular movement in the area was restricted, forcing motorists into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki axis through Kawo, leading to traffic disruptions. The arraignment followed an earlier announcement by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission that it would be arraigning El-Rufai alongside one Joel Adoga in suit number FHC/KD/73/2026.
The heavy security deployment and restriction of vehicular movement around the court premises on Tuesday morning suggest a calculated attempt to prevent public scrutiny of the arraignment of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The barring of journalists from entering the courtroom is a worrying development that undermines the principles of transparency and accountability. The charges against El-Rufai, including alleged conversion and possession of public property as well as money laundering, are serious and warrant a thorough investigation. The implications of this case for the people of Kaduna State are significant, and it is essential that the court proceedings are conducted in a transparent and fair manner.
