Deji Adeyanju, a lawyer focused on human rights, appeared as the second prosecution witness on Monday in the trial of Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State. The case, held before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court in Abuja, concerns allegations of threats to national security. The prosecution team from the Department of State Services (DSS), led by Oluwole Aladedoye, facilitated the testimony.
The legal proceedings stem from a televised interview where El-Rufai claimed to have intercepted a phone call involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu. The former governor alleged this recording contained directives for his arrest, which he linked to a February 12 encounter at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his return from Egypt. During the hearing, Adeyanju presented his subpoena, which the court admitted as evidence.
Adeyanju testified that prior to the interview in question, he had publicly encouraged El-Rufai to cooperate with official investigations. During his own appearance on Arise TV on February 13, Adeyanju countered claims made by El-Rufai during the same program. Video recordings of both interviews were played in court and entered as exhibits after the defense, led by Paul Erokoro, offered no objections.
In the footage, Adeyanju suggested that the security agency’s interaction with the former governor at the airport was standard procedure for individuals on a watch list, rather than proof of persecution. He characterized the accusations against the government as baseless, noting that he had provided a formal statement to the DSS regarding these matters after receiving a summons. Under cross-examination, Adeyanju maintained that he was testifying solely due to the subpoena. The court has scheduled the next session of the trial for June 23.