A forensic investigator with the Department of State Services (DSS), Segun Kayode, has alleged that former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai and some of his associates earmarked $600,000 to compromise an investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Kayode, the prosecution’s first witness, made the allegation on Tuesday while testifying before the Kaduna State High Court in Kawo, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo.
The witness told the court that $500,000 and $100,000 were allegedly set aside for payments to EFCC officials and intermediaries.
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 the witness, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), another individual and Bashir el-Rufai were allegedly mentioned in the recordings.
Kayode further alleged that the SAN and the other individual were 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.
He told the court 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.
The investigator also alleged that the recordings contained discussions about preventing the EFCC from investigating a company he said was listed on the New York Stock Exchange.
Proceedings lasted nearly eight hours, from 12:26 p.m. to 8:18 p.m., with about two hours devoted to playing the recordings.
After Kayode submitted a hard copy of his findings to the court clerk, the defence objected, arguing that the document should have been served earlier to allow the legal team sufficient time to examine it.
Justice Khobo 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 the continuation of cross-examination.
El-Rufai is facing trial over allegations of money laundering, conversion of public property, fraud and abuse of office. He is also being prosecuted by the DSS in a separate case at the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged wiretapping.
The allegations presented by the prosecution witness have yet to be established by the court.