The Federal Excessive Court docket in Kaduna on Tuesday adjourned the listening to of former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai’s, bail utility to Wednesday. The adjournment comes as El-Rufai faces a number of corruption prices in each the Federal and Kaduna State Excessive Courts.
El-Rufai was arraigned earlier than the 2 courts on Tuesday over allegations of corruption, together with conversion and possession of public property, in addition to cash laundering. Journalists had been denied entry to cowl the proceedings in each courts.
Following the Federal Excessive Court docket sitting, El-Rufai’s counsel, Ukpong Akpan (SAN), confirmed the adjournment however declined to present additional particulars, saying, “I’m sorry, I can’t discuss now, we’re in the course of work. I’ve to go, and file responses. The listening to of the bail utility has been adjourned until tomorrow.”
After the proceedings, operatives of the Unbiased Corrupt Practices and Different Associated Offences Fee (ICPC) escorted El-Rufai from the court docket premises in a white Hilux car. The previous governor had returned to court docket amid tight safety for the bail listening to, mirroring the high-security measures throughout his arraignment final week.
El-Rufai faces a 10-count cost earlier than Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa on the Federal Excessive Court docket, together with alleged conversion of public property, possession of identical, and cash laundering. He had spent over a month in detention previous to being produced in court docket, drawing vital public consideration.
The court docket had initially scheduled March 31, 2026, for the listening to of pending purposes, together with his bail request. Nonetheless, El-Rufai was launched on March 27, 2026, on compassionate grounds following the demise of his mom, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.
Individually, El-Rufai was arraigned earlier on Tuesday on the Kaduna State Excessive Court docket in Kawo on distinct prices, alongside one Amadu Sule, over allegations starting from abuse of workplace and fraud to conferring undue benefit. Each units of prices had been instituted by the ICPC.
With Tuesday’s adjournment, the listening to of El-Rufai’s bail utility is now set to proceed on Wednesday.
Ademide Adebayo
Times Nigeria