Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has appealed to United States President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron to draw international attention to his continued detention, insisting that he deserves a fair trial and respect for his fundamental human rights.
El-Rufai made the appeal on Friday, October 30, 2026, in a post on his X account, marking what he described as his 256th day in detention.
The former governor also tagged the United Nations, the UN Human Rights Council, Amnesty International, the European Union and the African Union, calling for attention to his legal troubles.
He equally mentioned the White House, the British government, the UK Parliament and international media organisations, including CNN, BBC, Al Jazeera, The New York Times and The Economist.
Under the hashtag FairTrial, El-Rufai maintained that access to justice and a fair hearing were fundamental human rights that should not be treated as special favours.
His appeal comes days after a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja rejected his no-case submission in a criminal case instituted against him by the Department of State Services over the alleged unlawful interception of telephone communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik delivered the ruling on October 26, holding that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to require El-Rufai to enter his defence.
The case followed an interview the former governor granted Arise Television in February, during which he discussed the alleged interception of Ribadu’s telephone conversations.
The DSS subsequently charged him over the matter. El-Rufai denied the allegations, while the prosecution called two witnesses before closing its case.
His legal team had asked the court to discharge him, arguing that the prosecution failed to establish sufficient grounds for him to defend himself. However, the judge rejected the application and adjourned the case until November 25 for the defence to begin.
Beyond the DSS case, El-Rufai is also facing separate legal proceedings instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over allegations of corruption, money laundering, abuse of office, fraud and unlawful handling of public property.
The investigations are linked to a petition by the Kaduna State House of Assembly alleging financial misconduct involving about ₦432 billion during his administration between 2015 and 2023.
The former governor has denied wrongdoing and questioned the circumstances surrounding his prosecution.
His detention began in February 2026 after he honoured an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. He was subsequently transferred to the custody of the ICPC on February 18.
He was briefly released in March on compassionate grounds to attend the burial of his mother, Hajiya Umma, before returning to custody.
His efforts to secure bail have also suffered setbacks. On October 9, the Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna dismissed his challenge against the refusal of his second bail application, affirming the earlier decision of the Kaduna State High Court.
El-Rufai and his supporters have repeatedly questioned the handling of his cases, with the former governor alleging that his prosecution is politically motivated.
The anti-corruption commission, however, has maintained that its investigations and detention procedures are backed by legal authority.
His latest appeal to Trump, Macron and international human rights organisations adds an international dimension to his ongoing legal battles.
The cases remain before the courts, and the allegations against the former governor have yet to be determined through final judgments.
