The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed the bail hearing for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, setting 18 May for the next proceeding. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered El-Rufai remanded in the custody of the State Security Service (SSS), the agency prosecuting him on phone tapping charges. Until Thursday, he had been held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in connection with separate corruption cases in Kaduna. The SSS filed the charges in February after El-Rufai claimed during a live Arise Television interview that he intercepted a phone call involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. He alleged the call included instructions to detain him following his return from Cairo on 12 February, an incident captured in videos showing a confrontation at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport where his passport was seized. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to five amended charges read in court on 13 April, which include unlawful interference with Ribadu's communication, acquiring classified information, and using technical equipment that compromised national security. The charges cite the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Amendment Act and the 2024 Critical National Information Infrastructure Order. His lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, confirmed the bail application was filed on 17 February but could not proceed due to a missing supporting affidavit. Prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye, also a SAN, requested substitution of the original three-count charge with the amended five-count version, which the court granted after Iyamu raised no objection.
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