Phone-tapping charge: Court grants el-Rufai N100m bail, allegedly re-arrested by DSS

—He has been moved to ICPC – Security sources

—Court order not licence for unrestricted access — ICPC lEl-Rufai’s ordeal political persecution, not prosecution — ADC

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri, Omeiza Ajayi & Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA— The Federal High Court in Abuja granted a bail of N100 million to Nasir El‑Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, who is on trial for allegedly intercepting the phone communications of National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

El‑Rufai’s family has alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) took him into custody after the court granted bail.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has responded to claims that it violated the former governor’s rights, stating that court‑ordered access does not override the agency’s internal security rules.

In a separate statement, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused the federal government of treating El‑Rufai as a political prisoner, describing his situation as “political persecution dressed up as prosecution.”

Under the bail conditions, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered that El‑Rufai provide a surety who must be a federal civil servant at Grade Level 17 or higher. The surety must live in either Maitama or Asokoro, possess a Certificate of Occupancy for a landed property valued at least at the bail amount, and show evidence of salary receipt for three months, including an authenticated bank letter. The surety must also submit an affidavit of means, a recent passport photograph, a verification letter from their department, and a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

El‑Rufai was required to surrender his valid international passports and was prohibited from leaving the country without permission. He must report to the DSS headquarters every last Friday of the month at 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register until the case is resolved. The judge warned that any breach of these conditions would result in automatic revocation of bail.

The former governor was also ordered to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council and to attend an accelerated hearing of the case.

El‑Rufai allegedly re‑arrested by DSS, family raises alarm

The family claims that the alleged re‑arrest violates court orders that require El‑Rufai to remain in ICPC custody.

El‑Rufai’s second wife, Hasiat, told reporters outside the DSS facility that the family feels traumatised and lives under constant threat and surveillance. “We now live in constant fear. Every day we get a threat — DSS is coming to raid your house, ICPC is coming to raid your house, police are coming to raid your house. You are being followed. Our phones are tapped,” she said.

She recounted that earlier that day, El‑Rufai appeared before Justice Joyce AbdulMalik, who granted bail and adjourned the matter until 1 p.m. During the break, he was briefly taken to the DSS facility, a move he resisted, citing two court orders from a Kaduna court that directed his remand with the ICPC.

“He said to them, I am not going to step down because there are two court orders that the Kaduna court gave that I should be remanded in ICPC. Why are you bringing me here? He said, I am not a furniture to be moved,” she recounted.

She said he was subsequently returned to ICPC, but after the afternoon session—during which the prosecution sought an adjournment and the judge set a resumption for the following day—he was again taken to the DSS instead of being returned to ICPC custody. At the time she spoke, El‑Rufai had refused to leave the vehicle.

Court order not licence for unrestricted access — ICPC

The ICPC dismissed allegations that El‑Rufai was denied food, barred from medical care, or subjected to degrading treatment. The agency said it applied the same access rules to all detainees, regardless of status.

Speaking at a media briefing at the commission’s Abuja headquarters, ICPC spokesman John Okor Odey said the agency’s access control policy had been in place before the current chairman assumed office and that it applied equally to everyone in custody. “The court said access should be granted, but not outside our regulations. The court did not say anybody can walk in here claiming they want to see Mallam Nasir el‑Rufai,” Odey said.

The controversy followed a Hausa‑language video circulated on Friday night in which a woman claiming to be one of El‑Rufai’s wives said ICPC operatives stopped her from entering the facility around 7 p.m. to deliver food to her husband.

The commission said its visitor hours close at 6:30 p.m. and noted that the woman herself admitted arriving after the approved time. According to ICPC visitor records, one of El‑Rufai’s wives and a housemaid visited the facility at least three times between 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. that day to deliver meals to him.

El‑Rufai’s ordeal political persecution, not prosecution — ADC

The ADC has accused the federal government of treating El‑Rufai as a political prisoner, describing his situation as “political persecution dressed up as prosecution.” The party said reports that El‑Rufai was denied access to doctors, prevented from receiving food from his wife, and kept in custody despite being granted bail raised concerns about his health and treatment in detention.

The statement was signed by ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi. He said, “What is happening to Mallam El‑Rufai confirms beyond all doubt that this detention is no longer about justice, it is about politics. It also confirms our fears that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deploying the instruments of state power to keep one of the leading opposition figures out of circulation. This is political persecution dressed up as prosecution.”

ADC also compared El‑Rufai’s case with those of former Kogi State governor Yahaya Bello and former Delta State governor Ifeanyi Okowa, both facing separate corruption allegations. Abdullahi said, “When placed beside other high‑profile cases, the contrast becomes stark and shameful. Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi State has been accused in an alleged N80.2 billion money‑laundering case. Ifeanyi Okowa, former governor of Delta State, was arrested over the alleged diversion of N1.3 trillion in derivation funds. But today, they are walking around free, singing President Tinubu’s campaign song.”

The post Phone‑tapping charge: Court grants el‑Rufai N100m bail, allegedly re‑arrested by DSS appeared first on Vanguard News.