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 added that forensic audio recordings captured conversations involving El-Rufai and some of his suspected associates.
According to Kayode, the recorded conversations centred on alleged efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity.
He said a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, one other individual; and Bashir El-Rufai among those allegedly mentioned in the conversations.
The investigator told the court that the Senior Advocate and the other individual were allegedly directed 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.
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Kayode further alleged that the discussions included plans to liquidate the company in Nigeria and Mauritius, where it was reportedly under investigation by the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit.
He also alleged that the recordings contained discussions about preventing the EFCC from investigating a company, which he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The allegations formed 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 pm to 8:18 pm, with about two hours devoted to playing the recorded conversations.
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), told the court that Kayode was a subpoenaed witness and that the omission did not automatically render his testimony inadmissible.
Adedipe said 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 argument.
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 the witness’s name and summary of evidence were absent from the proof of evidence but held that the records showed he had been subpoenaed.
Justice Khobo ruled that the omission did not automatically make the testimony inadmissible, provided the defence was allowed to cross-examine the witness.
After Kayode submitted a hard copy of his findings to the court clerk, the defence complained that the document should have been served earlier to enable it to study its contents.
The judge, however, 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 the cross-examination, following agreement by the prosecution and defence.
El-Rufai arrived at the court premises at about 11:50 am, 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 refusal of bail by the state high court.
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 warrant 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.