Kaduna, Kaduna State, Nigeria — The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna, northwestern Nigeria, on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of a bail application filed by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, until Wednesday, as proceedings continued under tight security.
The development followed a brief court session that attracted significant public attention due to the high-profile corruption charges against the former governor. Security personnel were heavily deployed around the court complex, reflecting heightened interest in the case and concerns about order during proceedings.
Counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Akpan, confirmed the adjournment shortly after the session but declined to elaborate on the matter. He said, “I’m sorry, I can’t talk now, we are in the middle of work. I have to go and file responses. The hearing of the bail application has been adjourned till tomorrow.”
Okay News reports that immediately after the court rose, operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission escorted El-Rufai from the premises in a white Hilux vehicle. The security presence mirrored the arrangements seen during his arraignment last week when he was first brought before the court.
El-Rufai is standing trial before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court on a 10-count charge involving alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering. He appeared in court after spending more than one month in detention, a situation that has generated nationwide attention.
The court had earlier scheduled Tuesday, March 31, 2026, for the hearing of all pending applications, including the bail request. However, the anti-corruption agency had temporarily released him on Friday, March 27, 2026, on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.
In a related development earlier on Tuesday, the former governor was also arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo, a district in Kaduna city. At the State High Court, he appeared alongside Amadu Sule on separate allegations ranging from abuse of office and fraud to intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage.
The charges before the Kaduna State High Court are distinct from those being heard at the Federal High Court. After the State High Court proceedings, the anti-corruption commission moved El-Rufai within the same court premises to continue the Federal High Court session.
With the adjournment, the court is expected to resume hearing the bail application on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
