A forensic investigator with the Department of State Services (DSS), Segun Kayode, on Tuesday alleged that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and some of his associates earmarked $600,000 to pay officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and intermediaries.
Kayode, the first prosecution witness in the ongoing trial, made the allegation while testifying before the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo, Kaduna, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo.
The witness told the court that $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for the payments. He said forensic audio recordings captured conversations involving El-Rufai and some of his suspected associates concerning efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity.
According to Kayode, the conversations allegedly mentioned a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), another individual and Bashir El-Rufai.
He further told the court that the SAN and the other individual were allegedly instructed to meet one Ahmadu Sule to obtain a template previously used to liquidate another company, with the intention of applying a similar process to Singularity.
Kayode also alleged that the discussions involved plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius, where it was reportedly under investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
He added that the recordings contained conversations about preventing the EFCC from investigating a company he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The allegations form part of the prosecution’s evidence against the former governor and have yet to be established by the court.
Proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, from 12:26 p.m. to 8:18 p.m., with approximately two hours devoted to playing the recorded conversations.
Defence challenges witness testimony
Earlier, El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Paul Erokoro (SAN), objected to Kayode’s testimony, arguing that the witness’s name and summary of evidence were not included in the prosecution’s proof of evidence.
Erokoro argued that the omission undermined his client’s right to a fair hearing, insisting that the defence was entitled to know the evidence it was expected to answer.
However, counsel for the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), argued that Kayode was a subpoenaed witness and that the omission did not automatically render his testimony inadmissible.
Adedipe told the court that the subpoena was issued and signed by the court on June 30, 2026, adding that the defence would have the opportunity to cross-examine the witness. He also cited judicial authorities in support of his position.
In response, Erokoro maintained that the issue was not whether the witness could testify but whether the defence had been adequately informed to prepare for his evidence.
He relied on Section 210 of the applicable Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, arguing that the prosecution should have served the subpoena on the defence.
In its ruling, the court acknowledged that Kayode’s name and summary of evidence were absent from the proof of evidence but noted that the records showed he had been subpoenaed.
Justice Khobo held that the omission did not automatically make the testimony inadmissible, provided the defence was given the opportunity to cross-examine the witness.
After Kayode submitted a hard copy of his findings to the court clerk, the defence objected that the document should have been served earlier to allow it to examine its contents.
The judge ruled that the defence could obtain a certified true copy of the document admitted as Exhibit One for examination.
The court adjourned the case until November 30 and December 1, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination, following agreement by the prosecution and defence.
El-Rufai appears in court after bail appeal dismissal
El-Rufai arrived at the court premises at about 11:50 a.m., ahead of the scheduled noon hearing, amid tight security. He was accompanied by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isah Ashiru.
His appearance followed an order by Justice Khobo directing the ICPC to produce him in court for the resumed proceedings.
The hearing resumed days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s appeal challenging the state high court’s refusal to grant him bail.
In its judgment delivered on October 9, the appellate court upheld the lower court’s decision, ruling that the former governor had failed to establish sufficient grounds to justify interference with the refusal of bail.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, over allegations of financial misconduct linked to his administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
