El-Rufai Appeals for Global Help Amid Ongoing Detention

Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has made an appeal for international intervention in his ongoing detention, which he marked as his 256th day in custody. He reached out to U.S.

President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, and various international human rights organizations via a post on his verified X account on October 30. El-Rufai emphasized that access to justice and a fair trial are fundamental human rights.

His appeal follows a ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja on October 26, which dismissed his no-case submission in a criminal case brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The court found sufficient evidence for the trial to proceed to the defense stage, with further proceedings scheduled for November 25.

El-Rufai has denied any wrongdoing and is also facing investigations related to financial misconduct during his administration from 2015 to 2023.