Court grants El-Rufai N100m bail in alleged national security breach case

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million over his trial for alleged breach of national security.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while delivering ruling on the bail application on Monday, imposed a number of strict conditions that El-Rufai must fulfil before regaining freedom.

The court directed the former governor to provide one surety in like sum.

According to the ruling, the surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.

The surety is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of the bank within the jurisdiction of the court.

The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.

As part of the bail conditions, El-Rufai is to deposit all valid international passports with the court.

The court also directed that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

Justice Abdulmalik further ordered the defendant to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS, every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register, pending the determination of the case.

The judge warned that failure to comply would lead to an automatic revocation of the bail.

The court additionally directed El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.

The court equally ordered an accelerated trial of the charge brought against El-Rufai by the Nigerian government.