The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, in a case involving alleged unauthorised access to a telephone conversation linked to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Delivering ruling on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik admitted el-Rufai to bail in the sum of N100 million, with one surety in the same amount.
The court ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide proof of salary payments for at least three months. The judge further directed that the documentation be verified through a letter from the manager of a bank within the court’s jurisdiction.
Abdulmalik also ordered that the surety must submit an affidavit of means, a bail bond, and a recent passport photograph to the court registry, alongside a verification letter from the individual’s department and a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
In addition, the court directed el-Rufai to surrender all valid international passports to the court registrar.
He was also ordered to report monthly to the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) every last Friday at 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register until the case is concluded. The judge further requested a letter of attestation from the chairman of the Kaduna traditional council.
Justice Abdulmalik warned that failure to meet any of the bail conditions would result in its revocation.
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The case was adjourned for accelerated hearing, with trial set to begin later on Monday.
El-Rufai was arraigned in April on a five-count amended charge bordering on alleged unlawful access to a phone conversation involving NSA Nuhu Ribadu. He pleaded not guilty to all counts.
The charges stem from allegations that he had unauthorised access to a telephone conversation in which Ribadu allegedly discussed security operations. In a February interview on Arise Television’s Prime Time, el-Rufai claimed that “someone wiretapped” Ribadu’s phone, enabling him to hear instructions allegedly given to security operatives.