Court Adjourns El-Rufai’s Trial To June 24

The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has postponed the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to June 24, 2026, following the absence of two co-defendants in the matter.

El-Rufai is standing trial on charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), bordering on alleged corrupt practices during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State, allegations El-Rufai had denied.

During Monday’s sitting, El-Rufai, who arrived at the courtroom at about 9:30am, was accompanied by officials of the ICPC as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police.

However, the scheduled proceedings could not go ahead after two other defendants in the case failed to appear before the court, forcing the presiding judge to adjourn the matter.

Following the development, the court fixed June 24, 2026, for the continuation of hearing.

Recall that, on April 14, 2026, the Federal High Court presided by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, had granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of ₦200 million, with conditions including two sureties, one being a serving or retired civil servant on Grade Level 15, and the other a recognised traditional ruler.

El-Rufai’s lawyers had applied to the Federal High Court for the variation of the bail conditions, though Kaduna State High Court presided over by Justice Darius Khobo denied the former governor bail, stating that his influence could interfere with ongoing investigations into the serious corruption allegations leveled against him by the ICPC.