Court Admits DSS Evidence as Adeyanju Testifies in Nasir El-Rufai's Case

[00:00:00]The Federal High Court in Abuja has admitted in evidence testimonies and video recordings presented by the Department of State Services in the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai over alleged wiretapping claims involving the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.

[00:00:17]Human rights lawyer Deji Adeoniju who testified as a second prosecution witness told the court that during an interview on national television in February, El-Rufai stated that he admitted to wiretapping of phone lines of Ribadu.

[00:00:32]Under cross-examination by defense counsel Paul Erokoro, Adeoniju stated that although he did not hear El-Rufai specifically admit to hacking the NSA's phone lines, he heard him say, "We listen to the conversations of the NSA."

[00:00:47]Justice Joyce Abdulmalik subsequently adjourned the matter until June 23 for continuation of trial.

[00:00:58]Meanwhile, there was a mild drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja as Justice Mohammed Umar remanded activist and politician Omoyele Sowore in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the conclusion of proceedings before the court. Outside the court premises, supporters of Sowore besieged the gate of the Federal High Court prompting security operatives to restrict movement in and out of the premises.

[00:01:22]The supporters gathered at the court entrance over what they alleged were plans to move Sowore into the custody of the Department of State Services contrary to the court order.

[00:01:42]>> As you all are aware of, made an order while I was absent last week that my bail is revoked and an arrest or [clears throat] bench warrant is issued towards me.

[00:01:58]Nobody should be surprised.

[00:02:01]I have predicted before now that all these things are going to happen.

[00:02:06]But they are happening for a good reason.

[00:02:08]And the reason is that somebody somebody must make the sacrifice that will liberate this country.

[00:02:19]>> Well, now being joined by judiciary correspondent Joshua Emirate who was at the court witnessing this Would it be a mild drama, Joshua? Was it mild?

[00:02:30]Or what?

[00:02:30]>> The drama was intense.

[00:02:31]>> It was very intense. Do tell us more.

[00:02:34]>> From outside the court to inside the court, today what we saw was that Sowore and his guys, those who were sympathetic and lawyers with the same cause Sowore is fighting for, they camped the Federal High Court premises from outside the gate up to inside the gate. We saw an increased number of security personnel deployed across several parts of the court. And we were predicting that what happened today was going to happen because we know the kind of person Sowore is. I would know the kind of persons that go along with him. I would know the kind of person security operatives are. We saw that while Sowore was remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional um Services, we understand that they were making plans to convey Sowore from the court to the prison um facility. But during that process, we saw that individuals who came with Sowore were making allegations that they were plans to take Sowore back to the DSS facility where he came from. And that the order of the court was that he be transported to the correctional facility.

[00:03:34]>> Now, you witnessed this. Was the DSS ushering out of the court or will I say bundled him out? It wasn't the It wasn't the court uh uh will I say the court usual process is that uh the Is it a the ba- basically the the plaintiff in the court or rather the the the security in the court is supposed to usher him out. But the DSS was the one that pretty much bundled him out.

[00:03:54]>> The thing is >> But, isn't that a, you know, like valid fear from his supporters?

[00:03:59]>> Well, the the concerns are valid. The thing is, whenever a court remands someone to the uh custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service, it is expected that the prison officials would take hold of that person immediately. No other security operative, talking about police, does not concern any of them.

[00:04:20]Who that particular issue is concerning at this point in time is the NCSO, that's the Nigerian Correctional Service. And we were expecting that they were going to be the ones saddled with the responsibility of transporting Sowore from the court to uh the prison facility. But, what we saw today we we saw that it was more like a coordinated effort because we saw individuals from uh the NSCDC, uh the Road Safety, as well as the Nigerian Police Force, the DSS, and a host of others. So, we were wondering, and you you wouldn't you wouldn't play down the cries of these individuals you see on the screen on the pictures because their concerns are valid. Sowore was once in the facility of the DSS, was once in the police of the he was was once in the custody of the police, too. And there were allegations that he was treated badly.

[00:05:11]>> But, you've been following the story, very quick one, Joshua. Would you not say he brought this against himself? I mean, he did miss a court date.

[00:05:17]>> Yes, he did. And Sowore was granted bail. And we must understand that it is a constitutional right to be presumed innocent. And it is the discretion of the court to grant bail.

[00:05:29]The court can choose not to grant you bail, and the court can choose to grant you bail. And whatever terms the court grants you bail on, it is expected that you abide to them. The moment you go against them, >> All right. Uh judiciary correspondent there, Joshua Amara, bringing us up to speed on this not so mild drama that happened at the court today. Thank you so much again Joshua for joining us.