El-Rufai Remains In ICPC Custody, Bail Hearing Adjourned Till April 14

By AZA MSUE and NONYE EKWENUGO

The bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has been adjourned till 14 April 2026, for ruling by the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna.

The court proceedings were presided over by Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa.

El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on 10 counts of corruption.

Lead counsel for the defendant, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), disclosed this to journalists shortly after the court session, stating that arguments on the bail application had been concluded.

According to him, both the defence and prosecution had presented their submissions before the court, expressing optimism that justice would prevail.

“The bail application was argued and responded to, and the ruling has been fixed for 14 April. Any lawyer will be hopeful. We have put our arguments before the court, and this is a court of justice. We look forward to the decision,” he said.

Iyamu further confirmed that the defence team would appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on 10 April in a separate matter involving the Department of State Services (DSS).

“That’s a separate one. Every lawyer is ready. We have filed our papers, and we will be there”.

Meanwhile, Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who arrived at Federal High Court, Kaduna on Wednesday, 9:00 am for his bail application hearing in a black Toyota Hilux, was surrounded by security operatives.

Security operatives were deployed within and around the court premises to avert breakdown of law and order.

Recall that the former governor was arraigned before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa of the Federal Court, Kaduna, on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering, instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

The Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday had adjourned the alleged corruption trial involving  Nasir El-Rufai, former Kaduna State governor, to Wednesday for the hearing of his bail application.

The former governor had been in the custody of the ICPC from 19 February until 28 March, when he was temporarily released on compassionate grounds following the demise of his mother in Cairo, Egypt.

She was buried on Sunday in Abuja.

The adjournment followed a brief court session during which defence counsel filed a motion urging Rilwan M. Aikawa, the presiding judge, to recuse himself from the case on allegations of bias and the existence of a pending petition against him.

However, the defence subsequently filed another motion withdrawing the application, seeking the judge’s recusal.

The court thereafter fixed Wednesday for the hearing of the bail application after the prosecuting counsel informed the court that a counter affidavit had just been filed.

Earlier, before his appearance at the Federal High Court, the ICPC had arraigned El-Rufai at the Kaduna State High Court alongside a businessman, Amadu Sule, on allegations of abuse of office, fraud, attempted fraud and the granting of undue advantage. Darius Khobo, the presiding judge, adjourned the matter to 10 April for hearing.