A KADUNA State High Court has adjourned the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai to the first week of June 2026.
The presiding judge, Darius Khobo, fixed the new date on Tuesday, April 21, after proceedings in the criminal case in which the former governor is facing multiple charges bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conferring undue advantage.
The case was instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Reacting to the judgement, counsel to the defendant, Ukpong Akpan, expressed dissatisfaction with the court’s position.
He described it as unjustified, arguing that the refusal to grant bail appeared to be anchored on the assumption that his client, by virtue of being a former governor, could tamper with investigations.
“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 was quoted to have said.
The defence counsel stressed that the legal team would take appropriate actions after reviewing the latest development.
“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,” he added.
This is not the first time the case would be adjourned.
Earlier, the court had fixed April 21 for ruling on El-Rufai’s bail application after proceedings were delayed following the filing of an amended nine-count charge by the ICPC.
Backstory
The ICIR reports that El-Rufai was first arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court on fresh and expanded charges filed by the Federal Republic of Nigeria through the ICPC on March 31, 2026.
According to the charge sheet, the offences were allegedly committed between 2015 and 2025 during and after his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
The prosecution alleged that in December 2016, the former governor induced the Kaduna State Government to approve an alleged N11 billion payment to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was never executed.
He was also accused of approving and receiving severance payments exceeding N289 million in 2020 and 2023 above his legal entitlements.
Another count alleged that between March and November 2022, he dishonestly disposed of $1,085,066.38 in World Bank loan funds, which prosecutors said violated the loan agreement.
Other allegations include unlawful contract awards for CCTV installations in Kaduna metropolis, abuse of procurement processes, land allocations to associates, and conspiracy to compromise federal investigators handling an ongoing probe involving Singularity Network Security Limited.
El-rufai secures Federal High Court bail
In a separate but related case before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, El-Rufai had on April 14, secured bail after spending nearly two months in detention.
The presiding judge, Rilwan Aikawa granted him bail after hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution but ordered that he remain in ICPC custody pending the fulfilment of the bail conditions.
The court imposed stringent conditions, including a N200 million bond with two sureties in like sum.
The sureties were required to include a recognised traditional ruler and a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 15, alongside the submission of landed property documents and the deposit of his international passports with the court.
El-Rufai’s legal troubles began on February 16, 2026, following his arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Although he was initially released by the commission, he was later re-arrested by the ICPC over separate allegations.
After spending nearly a month in ICPC’s custody, El-Rufai was arraigned by the commission on a 10-count criminal charge concerning allegations of diversion of public assets and money laundering offences.
The charges include claims that he unlawfully received about N579 million as severance allowance, far exceeding the approved entitlement, and multiple foreign currency transfers suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The anti-graft agency also alleged that the former governor received $320,800 through several transactions between 2017 and 2023, in addition to other sums in foreign currencies from individuals said to be at large. Prosecutors further accused him of conspiring to conceal the origin of funds in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M