The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday replayed a television interview granted by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju testified in the alleged phone-tapping case brought against him by the State Security Service.
Testifying before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik as the second prosecution witness, Adeyanju told the court that the recording accurately reflected events during a February 13 interview on Arise Television, where El-Rufai spoke about the alleged interception of a telephone conversation involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.
Adeyanju recalled that reports had surfaced on February 12 suggesting El-Rufai could be arrested or invited for questioning by security agencies after returning from Cairo, Egypt.
According to him, he publicly advised the former governor to honour any invitation from security agencies, insisting the matter should not be viewed through a political lens.
He said both men appeared on the same Arise Television programme on February 13, although his segment aired after El-Rufai’s.
“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.
The lawyer said he was later invited by the SSS, where he made a statement concerning the interview.
“I confirmed that El-Rufai said that someone tapped and gave him the information. I put all that into writing,” he said.
Following an application by the prosecution, the court replayed the interview that had earlier been tendered through the first prosecution witness. After watching the footage, Adeyanju affirmed that it accurately reflected what transpired during the broadcast.
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), Adeyanju also tendered the subpoena compelling his appearance in court. The document was admitted as Exhibit G after defence counsel Paul Erokoro (SAN) raised no objection.
The prosecution further tendered a recording of Adeyanju’s television appearance and a certificate of compliance. The court admitted both the flash drive and the certificate as Exhibits H and H1.
In the recorded interview, Adeyanju argued that if authorities truly intended to arrest El-Rufai, security operatives would have done so at the airport upon his return to Nigeria.
He also referenced reports that the former governor was under investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and maintained that any prosecution should follow the conclusion of investigations.
Adeyanju further described El-Rufai as an “ardent violator of human rights,” adding that his current challenges amounted to “karma.”
Under cross-examination, defence counsel Erokoro asked whether El-Rufai had expressly stated during the interview that he personally tapped a telephone conversation.
Responding, Adeyanju said El-Rufai’s exact words were: “We listened to their calls.”
He added that if anyone claimed a telephone conversation had been hacked, he would report the matter because he lacked knowledge of how such an act could be carried out.
The witness, however, said he had no information about how the National Security Adviser conducts his communications and stressed that he appeared in court solely because he had been subpoenaed.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned proceedings until June 23 for continuation of the trial.
The SSS filed a five-count charge against El-Rufai in February after he claimed during an Arise Television interview that he had obtained information from a telephone conversation involving Ribadu, which allegedly revealed plans by security operatives to arrest him.
El-Rufai was arraigned on April 23, pleaded not guilty to the charges, and was granted bail in the sum of N100 million.
