El-Rufai’s Trial Stalls As Court Adjourns To June 1 For Pre-trial Motions

The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday adjourned further proceedings in the corruption case involving former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to June 1, 2026, for hearing of two pre-trial motions filed by the defence.

El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over allegations bordering on financial misconduct, including the alleged release of several billions of naira for projects said not to have been executed. He has consistently denied the allegations.

At the resumed sitting, the court was expected to rule on an application seeking variation of some of the bail conditions earlier imposed on the former governor.

Justice Rilwanu Aikawa had on April 14 granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum. The court further ordered that he remain in ICPC custody until the bail terms were fully perfected.

Under the conditions, one of the sureties must be a senior civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the second must be a recognised elder in Kaduna State. Both sureties were also directed to deposit their international passports with the court.

Court additionally restrained the defendant from making public comments relating to the matter.

Delivering ruling on the bail variation application on Thursday, Justice Aikawa declined the request by the defence seeking to allow the first surety to submit a bank guarantee of N200 million in place of cash deposit.

However, the court granted a variation permitting the second surety to be recognised by a District Head, instead of the Kaduna State Council of Elders as earlier ordered.

Lead counsel to the former governor, Mustapha Abubakar (SAN), also drew the attention of the court to two pending motions challenging certain documents attached to the charges filed by the prosecution.

The defence counsel subsequently informed the court that they were not ready to move the applications immediately, prompting the adjournment.

Justice Aikawa thereafter adjourned the matter to 1pm on June 1, 2026, for hearing of the pending pre-trial motions.