Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna State governor, faced re-arraignment at Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday. The Department of State Service brought the charges related to alleged phone surveillance of Nigeria's National Security Adviser.
DSS operatives arrived at the courthouse around 8:55am with El-Rufai in tow. They immediately secured the perimeter, preventing journalists and court staff from entering freely.
The heavy-handed security measures sparked quick backlash inside the courthouse premises. Omoyele Sowore, the activist and former AAC presidential hopeful, led the brief protest against the restrictions.
Sowore argued that courts are public institutions open to all Nigerians. Citizens have the right to observe proceedings without interference, he insisted.
An ICPC staff member revealed details of El-Rufai's movements that morning. According to the source, DSS officers arrived at the anti-graft agency's office as early as 7:00am to pick him up.
"They came here at about 7:00am to collect him for court arraignment," the anonymous official told Daily Trust. The source clarified that the case under investigation didn't belong to ICPC.
El-Rufai's re-arraignment marks another chapter in the ongoing legal proceedings. Details about the specific allegations remain under scrutiny at the federal court level.
