In the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is accused of violating national security, human rights attorney and activist Deji Adeyanju testified before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.
After the court issued a subpoena, Adeyanju appeared before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik as the second prosecution witness.
El-Rufai’s remarks during a television broadcast, in which he claimed to have overheard a phone conversation involving National Security Advisor Nuhu Ribadu, prompted the Department of State Security (DSS) to file a lawsuit against him.
El-Rufai claims that the purported conversation included orders for security personnel to detain him after he returned from Cairo, Egypt, on February 12.
The subpoena issued to Adeyanju was presented by prosecution attorney Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, during the proceedings, and the court accepted it as Exhibit G without the defence objecting.
During her testimony, Adeyanju informed the court that on February 12, there had been rumours that El-Rufai might be taken into custody or invited to be questioned by security forces.
He recounted that on February 13, just after El-Rufai had been interviewed on the same platform, he appeared on an Arise Television program.
“I went to Arise, and El-Rufai was also on the show. My segment came after his. During his interview, I listened to him speak on many issues, and I countered many of the things he said because they were not true or were half-truths,” Adeyanju told the court.
At the prosecution’s request, the court replayed the television interview earlier admitted as evidence during the testimony of the first prosecution witness.
Adeyanju confirmed that the recording accurately reflected what transpired during the broadcast.
The prosecution also tendered a flash drive containing Adeyanju’s interview alongside a certificate of compliance. Both were admitted as Exhibits H and H1.
In the recorded interview played in court, Adeyanju dismissed claims that security agencies intended to arrest El-Rufai at the airport
He stated in the interview that they would have arrested him at the airport if they had wanted to.
Additionally, he insisted that El-Rufai’s being on a security watch list was the reason why agents greeted him when he arrived.
“So, as soon as your name appears, the passport should be seized,” he said.
Adeyanju further contended that accusations of persecution against the former governor have to be weighed against acts committed while El-Rufai was in office.
“The oppressor of yesterday cannot suddenly become the hero of today,” he remarked, alluding to El-Rufai’s administration’s demolition of supposed political opponents’ properties.
He believes that before any trial is started, El-Rufai should be looked into for any corruption.
Defence attorney Paul Erokoro, SAN, asked Adeyanju during cross-examination if she heard El-Rufai specifically say that he had recorded any phone conversations.
“El-Rufai said, ‘We listened to their calls,'” Adeyanju retorted.
He went on to say that since he didn’t know how the alleged hacking happened, he would report any claims that a phone conversation had been stolen.
Adeyanju went on to tell the court that he only showed up to testify because he was called and had no choice but to obey.
Following then, Justice Abdulmalik postponed the case to June 23 in order to continue the trial.
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