Hearing for El-Rufai's bail application postponed until Wednesday

The Federal High Court in Kaduna has postponed the hearing of a bail application submitted by Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, until Wednesday, as decided on Tuesday.

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Counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, briefly addressed journalists after the session, confirming the adjournment but declining to elaborate further, citing the need to file responses.

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El-Rufai's response to queries from journalists was brief, as he stated, "I'm sorry, I can't talk now; we are in the middle of work, and I have to go and file responses, as the hearing of the bail application has been adjourned till tomorrow."

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Following the court proceedings, El-Rufai was escorted out of the premises by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission in a white Hilux vehicle.

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Earlier in the day, the former governor had arrived at the Federal High Court under tight security for the continuation of proceedings in his ongoing corruption trial, which has been a subject of widespread public attention.

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The heavy security presence at the court was reminiscent of the situation during his arraignment the previous week before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, where he was docked on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.

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El-Rufai's detention for over a month has been a highly publicized development, given the high-profile nature of the case, and he was brought to court after this period.

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The court had initially scheduled March 31, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications, including his bail request, but the latest development has led to an adjournment.

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In a related development, the ICPC had granted El-Rufai temporary release on compassionate grounds on March 27, following the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.

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Earlier on Tuesday, El-Rufai was also arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court on separate charges, alongside one Amadu Sule, on allegations including abuse of office and fraud.

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The charges at the State High Court, instituted by the ICPC, are distinct from those before the Federal High Court, and the anti-corruption agency moved the former governor to the Federal High Court within the same premises for the continuation of his trial.

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With the latest adjournment, the hearing on the bail application is now expected to resume on Wednesday, as decided by the court.