By Kingston Magare 21.4.2026
Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, will wait for another month to know if he can walk free on bail after a Kaduna High Court Tuesday set the first week of June to hear his bail application in a corruption case brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
According to the presiding judge, Darius Khobo, the shifting of the bail application hearing was based on the amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office and corruption the ICPC is pursuing against El-Rufai.
The ICPC had earlier amended the charge, leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the case.
El-Rufai’s counsel Ukpon Akpan filed for bail, but the prosecution opposed it saying that El-Rufai being a former governor would likely interfere with ICPC investigations. The judge reserved his judgment and ordered that the defendant be remanded in ICPC custody pending the decision.
Speaking on the court’s decision Barrister Akpan, questioned the position of the court, making it clear that the case was nothing but a political witch hunt.
“The court, in its wisdom, decided that because Nasir El-Rufai is a former governor, he is going to interfere with the investigation, Therefore, he is not entitled to bail in an allegation of financial impropriety. We respectfully disagree,” he said
“The next step is to take the legal steps required to challenge it. We will respond through the proper legal process. That is what the law requires.
“From the beginning, everything about Nasir El-Rufai’s travails has always been political. This is mainly the legal arm of it.”
Last week El-Rufai was granted bail by a Federal High Court in Kaduna in another corruption case also brought against him by the ICPC.
Justice Rilwanu Aikawa admitted El-Rufai to bail in the sum of N200 million. The judge had ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions and must not grant any press interviews.