Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron, among other international leaders and human rights organisations, to draw attention to his continued detention.
In a post on X account on Friday, his 256th day in detention, the former governor said he deserves a fair trial.
The former governor maintained that access to justice and a fair hearing were fundamental human rights that should not be treated as privileges or favours.
“A fair trial is not an act of mercy. It is not a privilege. It is a fundamental human right,” he declared.
Under the post tagged #FairTrial, El-Rufai directly mentioned Trump and Macron, alongside the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, the European Union, the African Union and several international media organisations.
He also tagged the White House, the British government, the UK Parliament and media organisations including CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times and The Economist.
Observers said the action is to seek wider international attention to his legal predicament.
The appeal came days after a Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed his no-case submission.
The criminal case, instituted against him by the Department of State Services (DSS) was over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while ruling on Monday, October 26, held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require the former governor to enter his defence, if he so wished.
It followed allegations arising from an interview El-Rufai granted Arise Television in February, during which he spoke about an alleged interception of Ribadu’s telephone conversations.
The DSS subsequently filed charges against him, which he denied, and proceeded with the prosecution, calling two witnesses before closing its case.
The former governor had asked the court to discharge him without requiring him to present a defence.
He argued through his lawyers that the prosecution had failed to establish a prima facie case against him.
However, the court rejected the application and adjourned the matter until November 25 for the defence stage.
El-Rufai’s legal troubles also include separate corruption and financial misconduct cases instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over transactions and decisions during his eight-year administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
The commission had announced in March that it filed charges against the former governor before the Federal High Court and Kaduna State High Court.
The allegations in the cases include money laundering, conversion and possession of public property, abuse of office, fraud and conferring undue advantage.
The ICPC had also linked its investigation to a petition by the Kaduna State House of Assembly over alleged financial misconduct involving about N432bn during the former governor’s administration.
El-Rufai, who was initially taken into the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after honouring an invitation in February, was subsequently transferred to the ICPC on February 18, 2026.
The commission said his detention was connected to investigations into allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
It maintained that the initial remand and subsequent extension were authorised by a court.
He was, however, briefly released on compassionate grounds in March to attend the burial of his mother, Hajiya Umma, who died while receiving medical treatment in Egypt, before returning to the commission’s custody.
His continued detention has also generated a series of legal battles, particularly over his applications for bail.
On October 9, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna dismissed his appeal challenging the refusal of his second bail application by the Kaduna State High Court.
The three-member appellate panel, in a unanimous judgment, held that El-Rufai had failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting interference with the lower court’s decision.
The appellate court consequently affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which had refused his bail application on June 10.
His lawyers had argued that the offences were bailable and that his continued detention was affecting his ability to prepare adequately for his defence, including access to lawyers and witnesses.
The ICPC, however, opposed the appeal, insisting that the trial court acted judicially in refusing the application.
El-Rufai, who remains a prominent opposition figure and a leading member of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has previously questioned the circumstances surrounding his arrest and investigation.
He alleged that his ordeal was politically motivated.
He had also maintained that he was prepared to answer allegations against him in court, rather than submit to what he considers prolonged detention.
The ICPC, on its part, has defended its actions, insisting that the investigation and detention were conducted in accordance with the law.
The commission said the allegations against the former governor should be determined through judicial proceedings.
