Court adjourns El-Rufai’s bail hearing as trial draws nationwide attention

The Federal High Court in Kaduna has adjourned the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, till Wednesday.

The adjournment followed proceedings conducted under tight security, reflecting heightened public interest in the high-profile corruption trial.

Counsel to the ex-governor, Ukpong Akpan, confirmed the development shortly after the session but declined to provide further details.

“I’m sorry, I can’t talk now, we are in the middle of work. I have to go and file responses. The hearing of the bail application has been adjourned till tomorrow,” he said.

Shortly after the court rose, El-Rufai was escorted out of the premises by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in a white Hilux vehicle.

Earlier, the former governor had returned to court amid heavy security for the continuation of proceedings on his bail request, with the arrangement mirroring the situation during his arraignment last week.

El-Rufai is standing trial before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.

He was brought to court after spending over a month in detention, a development that has continued to attract widespread attention across the country.

Although the court had earlier fixed March 31, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications, proceedings were disrupted after the anti-graft agency granted him temporary release on March 27 on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.

In a related development, El-Rufai was earlier on Tuesday arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo on separate charges alongside Amadu Sule. The charges include abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.

The charges filed at the State High Court are distinct from those before the Federal High Court. After the state proceedings, the anti-corruption commission moved him to the Federal High Court within the same premises for continuation of proceedings.

With the adjournment, the hearing of the bail application is expected to resume on Wednesday.