A forensic investigator with the State Security Service, Segun Kayode, on Tuesday alleged that former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and some of his associates earmarked $600,000 to settle officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission 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 said $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for the payments, adding that forensic audio recordings captured conversations involving El-Rufai and some of his suspected associates.
According to him, the recorded conversations centred on alleged efforts to frustrate an EFCC investigation into a company identified as Singularity.
Kayode named a senior advocate of Nigeria, AU Mustapha (SAN); Jimi Lawal; and Bashir El-Rufai among those allegedly mentioned in the conversations.
He told the court that Mustapha and Lawal 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.
The investigator 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.
Kayode also alleged that the recordings contained discussions about preventing the EFCC from investigating IHS, which he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
The allegations were presented as part of the prosecution’s evidence against the former governor.
The 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, 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.
