El-Rufai Marks 256 Days in Detention, Calls for Fair Trial

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has renewed his call for a fair trial, saying justice must be administered in accordance with the law as he marks 256 days in detention.

El-Rufai made the appeal in a statement published on his official X account on Friday, describing a fair trial as a fundamental human right rather than a privilege or favour.

The former governor has been in custody since February 16, 2026, following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over allegations of financial mismanagement during his administration in Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.

The allegations followed a report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, which raised concerns over the management of between ₦423 billion and ₦432 billion during his eight-year tenure.

He was subsequently transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as investigations and legal proceedings continued.

El-Rufai is also facing a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The charges arose from comments made by the former governor during a television interview in February, in which he alleged that someone had intercepted Ribadu's telephone conversations and shared them with him.

He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Although courts have granted bail in some of the cases, the conditions attached to the decisions have reportedly prevented his release. He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend his mother's burial before returning to detention.

In the telephone interception case, the Federal High Court in Abuja recently dismissed his no-case submission and directed him to enter his defence, with proceedings expected to continue.

The prolonged detention has attracted reactions from supporters and opposition figures, some of whom have questioned the circumstances surrounding his continued custody and called for respect for his fundamental rights.

However, the authorities maintain that the cases involve ongoing investigations and allegations relating to corruption and national security offences.