By Ayomide Otitoju
The Kaduna State High Court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a bail application filed by former governor Nasir El-Rufai to April 14, 2026.
El-Rufai appeared before the court under tight security in a case instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is prosecuting him alongside a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, over alleged financial impropriety and abuse of office.
During the proceedings, El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the nine-count charge filed by the ICPC on March 18, 2026. The prosecution, however, applied to withdraw the charges against Sule and remove him from the arraignment, a request granted by the court.
Counsel to the former governor, Ukpon Akpan, urged the court to grant bail, arguing that his client was not a flight risk and would comply with any conditions imposed. The prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the gravity of the charges required careful judicial consideration.
Presiding judge, Darius Khobo, declined to issue an immediate ruling after hearing arguments from both sides, adjourning the matter to April 14 for continuation of proceedings and possible determination of the bail application.
Speaking after the session, Akpan said the defence had only just received the charges in court, limiting their ability to proceed with a full response.
According to him, El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody pending the court’s decision on his bail application.
The case has attracted significant public attention, given El-Rufai’s political profile and his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
