The scheduled arraignment of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, on cybercrime charges hit a snag on Wednesday following his failure to appear in court, prompting the Federal High Court in Abuja to reschedule the proceedings for April 23.
El-Rufai faces allegations of cybercrime and contravening the Communications Act, with the Federal Government seeking to have him formally take a plea. However, when the matter was called before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, the former governor was notably absent from the dock.
Representing the Department of State Services (DSS), Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Oluwole Aladedoye addressed the court regarding the absence. He explained that el-Rufai is currently under investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), a separate anti-graft agency.
Aladedoye clarified that the DSS lacks the authority to influence or oversee the investigative timeline of the ICPC. Consequently, he prayed the court for an adjournment, initially proposing March 23 to allow for the conclusion of the ongoing inquiry.
Following the submission, Justice Abdulmalik granted the request for more time but fixed a later date, adjourning the case until April 23, 2026.
The new date is expected to allow for the resolution of the investigative processes with the ICPC and ensure the former governor’s presence for his arraignment on the cybercrime charges.
