The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai until Wednesday.
Counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, confirmed the adjournment while speaking briefly with journalists after the court session. He declined to give details, stating that legal processes were still ongoing and he needed to file additional responses.
Following the proceedings, El Rufai was escorted from the court premises by operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission in a white Hilux vehicle under tight security.
Earlier in the day, the former governor had arrived at the court amid heavy security presence for the continuation of his corruption trial. The situation mirrored his earlier arraignment before Justice Rilwan M Aikawa, where he faced a 10 count charge involving alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
El Rufai has reportedly spent over a month in detention, drawing widespread public attention due to the high profile nature of the case. The court had initially scheduled March 31 2026 for the hearing of pending applications, including his bail request.
In a related development, the ICPC had on March 27 granted him temporary release on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El Rufai, in Cairo.
Meanwhile, earlier on Tuesday, El Rufai was also arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court on separate charges. At the state court, he was docked alongside Amadu Sule on allegations including abuse of office, fraud, and intent to commit fraud.
The charges at the state level are separate from those at the Federal High Court, though both were instituted by the ICPC. After the state proceedings, he was transferred back to the Federal High Court for the continuation of his trial.
With the latest adjournment, the hearing of the bail application is expected to resume on Wednesday.
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