A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned proceedings in the corruption case involving former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to June 1, 2026, for hearing of two pre-trial motions filed by the defence. El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission……
A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned proceedings in the corruption case involving former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to June 1, 2026, for hearing of two pre-trial motions filed by the defence.
El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations of financial misconduct, including the alleged release of billions of naira for projects said to have been unexecuted. He has, however, denied all allegations.
According to The Nation, at the resumed sitting on Thursday, the court was expected to rule on applications seeking variation of some of the bail conditions earlier imposed on the former governor.
Justice Rilwanu Aikawa had on April 14 granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum, while ordering that he remain in ICPC custody until the bail terms were fully perfected.
The court further directed that one of the sureties must be a senior civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the second must be a recognised elder within Kaduna State. Both sureties were also required to submit their international passports.
In addition, the former governor was restrained from making public comments relating to the case.
Ruling on the application for variation of bail conditions, Justice Aikawa declined a request by the defence to allow the first surety provide a bank guarantee of N200 million in place of the required cash deposit.
However, the court granted a variation in respect of the second surety, allowing a District Head to stand in, instead of the Kaduna State Council of Elders previously specified.
Counsel to El-Rufai, Mustapha Abubakar (SAN), also informed the court of two pending motions challenging certain documents attached to the charges filed by the ICPC, urging the court to strike them out.
The defence further sought an adjournment to enable it properly move the applications.
Following the submissions, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter until 1pm on June 1, 2026, for hearing of the outstanding pre-trial motions.
