UPDATED: El-Rufai returns to court as bail hearing opens amid fresh charges
Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday returned to the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the hearing of his bail application in an ongoing corruption trial. El-Rufai
Former Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday returned to the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the hearing of his bail application in an ongoing corruption trial.
El-Rufai was brought back to court amid tight security, similar to the heavy security presence that characterised his arraignment last week.
He was last week arraigned before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
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The former governor had been produced in court after spending over a month in detention, drawing significant public attention to the high-profile case.
Following his arraignment, the court adjourned proceedings to March 31, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications, including his bail request.
However, on March 27, 2026, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) released El-Rufai on compassionate grounds after the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.
In a twist to the proceedings, the former governor was earlier on Tuesday arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo on separate charges.
At the State High Court, El-Rufai was docked alongside one Amadu Sule on allegations ranging from abuse of office and fraud to intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage.
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The charges, also filed by the ICPC, are distinct from those before the Federal High Court.
Read Also: BREAKING: El-Rufai returns to Kaduna court after mother’s burial
After the State High Court proceedings, the commission moved El-Rufai to the Federal High Court, located within the same premises in Kaduna.
Proceedings at the Federal High Court are currently underway, with his bail application taking centre stage.
Legal observers say the outcome of the bail hearing could shape the next phase of the trial, given the weight of the allegations.
As of the time of filing this report, arguments on the bail application were ongoing, with a ruling expected either later in the day or on a subsequent date to be fixed by the court.
