KADUNA, Nigeria — The former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, appeared at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on the morning of Tuesday, March 24, 2026. He arrived under a massive security escort to face formal charges related to allegations of corruption during his time in office.
The former governor was transported to the court premises at approximately 9:00 a.m. West African Time (WAT) in a Toyota Hilux vehicle. He remained inside the vehicle for 30 minutes before being led into the courtroom at 9:34 a.m. WAT. Nasir El-Rufai was dressed in a light green traditional babanriga outfit with a matching cap. He was surrounded by a tight security detail consisting of officers from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS), which is Nigeria’s domestic intelligence agency.
Despite arriving as early as 7:00 a.m. WAT, journalists and media representatives were prevented from entering the courtroom by operatives of the Department of State Services. Security was notably heavy around the court, which is located at the former site of the Nigerian Defence Academy. The deployment included personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, the Mobile Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Authorities restricted vehicle movement in the area, forcing traffic into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki district toward Kawo, causing significant delays for local motorists.
Okay News reports that this court appearance follows an announcement by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding the prosecution of the former governor and another individual, Joel Adoga. The legal action, identified as suit number FHC/KD/73/2026, involves several serious allegations. According to a statement from the ICPC Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey: “The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is set to arraign the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i, and one Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Kaduna Judicial Division on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The charges range from conversion of and possession of public property to money laundering.”
In addition to the federal case, a separate set of charges has been filed at the Kaduna State High Court against Nasir El-Rufai and Amadu Sule. These state-level charges include allegations of fraud and the abuse of office. Regarding this second case, the anti-corruption agency stated: “Similarly, another charge against Malam Nasir El-Rufa’i and one Amadu Sule has been filed before a Kaduna State High Court in the Kaduna Judicial Division. The charges range from abuse of office and fraud to intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage, among others.”
The legal proceedings come after Nasir El-Rufai spent weeks in custody. He was originally detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday, February 16, 2026. Although he was granted bail two days later, he was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC. Various groups, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) political party and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), had previously called for his release or immediate trial, arguing that his lengthy detention without a court appearance was a violation of his constitutional rights. The court is expected to proceed with the plea hearing as the prosecution begins its case.
