Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron to draw international attention to his continued detention in Nigeria, insisting that he deserves a fair trial rather than preferential treatment.
El-Rufai made the appeal on Friday, October 30, 2026, in a post on his verified X account, where he also tagged international organisations, human rights institutions and global media organisations.
The former governor described the right to a fair hearing as a fundamental human right, not a privilege that should be granted as a favour by the government.
“Today, exactly 256 days El-Rufai in detention. Human rights not a favour. A fair trial is not an act of mercy. It is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right,” he wrote.
His appeal comes amid growing legal troubles, following a major setback in his ongoing criminal trial over allegations of unlawfully intercepting telephone communications involving National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu.
Court Orders El-Rufai to Enter His Defence
On October 26, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed El-Rufai’s no-case submission in the five-count amended charge brought against him by the Department of State Services (DSS).
The judge ruled that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require the former governor to respond to the allegations.
El-Rufai had asked the court to discharge and acquit him, arguing through his legal team that the prosecution failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
However, the DSS maintained that the oral and documentary evidence presented before the court justified asking him to enter his defence.
The prosecution had closed its case after presenting two witnesses.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until November 25, 2026, for El-Rufai to open his defence. TheCable +2
Separate ICPC Investigation Over Alleged ₦432 Billion Financial Misconduct
Beyond the DSS prosecution, the former governor is facing separate investigations and criminal proceedings instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The investigations followed a petition by the Kaduna State House of Assembly concerning alleged financial irregularities involving approximately ₦423 billion to ₦432 billion during his administration between 2015 and 2023.
The allegations reportedly include money laundering, abuse of office, fraud, conversion of public property and conferring undue advantage.
El-Rufai was initially taken into custody by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in February 2026 before being transferred to the ICPC on February 18.
He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s burial but subsequently returned to custody.
Although courts have granted bail in some of the proceedings, stringent conditions attached to the decisions have reportedly complicated his release. Punch Newspapers +1
Fair Trial Demand Raises Questions About His Legal Rights
El-Rufai’s latest appeal has brought renewed attention to the relationship between prolonged detention, the prosecution of corruption allegations and the constitutional rights of criminal defendants in Nigeria.
Under Nigeria’s constitutional framework, an accused person is entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time and is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.
Importantly, the dismissal of his no-case submission does not amount to a conviction. It means the court considers the prosecution’s evidence sufficient to require him to respond to the allegations.
His next appearance in the phone-interception case is scheduled for November 25, when he is expected to begin presenting his defence.
Meanwhile, his decision to tag Trump, Macron and international human rights organisations signals an attempt to attract wider international scrutiny to his legal predicament.
Whether the appeal will generate any meaningful international response remains uncertain. However, the former governor’s demand has placed his continued detention and the progress of his criminal cases firmly back in the public spotlight.
