Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has suffered a setback in his ongoing criminal trial after the Chief Judge of Kaduna State, Justice Muhammad Aliyu, rejected his request to have the case transferred to another judge.
Justice Aliyu turned down two separate petitions seeking the removal of Justice Darius Hyet Khobo from the case.
The petitions were filed by El-Rufai and his lawyer, Ubong Akpan, who raised allegations of bias against the trial judge.
The development means Justice Khobo will continue to preside over the case filed against the former governor by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
El-Rufai is facing a nine-count charge before the Kaduna State High Court. The allegations include abuse of office, fraud and other financial offences linked to his administration as governor between 2015 and 2023.
The former governor pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The ICPC had initially filed the case against El-Rufai and businessman Amadu Sule. The charge was later amended after Sule’s continued absence from court, allowing the prosecution to proceed with El-Rufai’s case separately.
The anti-corruption commission said the charges arose from alleged financial and administrative infractions during El-Rufai’s tenure.
This latest development followed petitions submitted on June 30 and July 6, 2026.
In the petitions, El-Rufai and his counsel questioned the conduct of Justice Khobo and asked the Chief Judge to reassign the case to another judge of the Kaduna State High Court.
Justice Aliyu, however, said a three-member committee constituted to examine the complaints found no reason to move the matter from Justice Khobo’s court.
In a letter dated August 19 and addressed to Justice Khobo, the Chief Judge said he had reviewed the petitions, the trial judge’s responses and the report of the committee set up to investigate the allegations.
The committee submitted its report on August 18.
Justice Aliyu wrote: “I have studied and considered the petitions dated 30th June, 2026 and 6th July, 2026, respectively, submitted by counsel for the defendant and the defendant, as well as your lordship’s responses to the said petitions dated 16th July, 2026.”
He added: “Pursuant to the powers conferred on me under Section 111(1)-(4) of the Kaduna State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2017, a body of three reputable legal practitioners was constituted to investigate the petitions and submit its report. The committee submitted its report yesterday, 18th August, 2026.”
According to the Chief Judge, the committee found no basis for using his administrative powers to remove Justice Khobo from the case.
“The committee found no basis for the exercise of my administrative powers to transfer the matter from your lordship to another judge of the High Court of Justice, Kaduna State,” he said.
Justice Aliyu consequently directed Justice Khobo to continue with the proceedings.
“Accordingly, your lordship shall proceed with the hearing and determination of the matter in accordance with the law and fairness. Please accept the assurances of my highest regards,” the Chief Judge stated.
El-Rufai’s Allegations Against Judge
El-Rufai’s July 6 petition contained serious allegations against Justice Khobo.
The former governor accused the judge of being biased against him. He also alleged that the judge had effectively predetermined the outcome of the case through a ruling delivered on June 10.
El-Rufai further alleged that Justice Khobo had attended meetings involving political, religious and community leaders from Southern Kaduna.
According to the former governor, information reaching him suggested that the judge had made commitments at some of those gatherings concerning the outcome of his trial.
El-Rufai said: “I have been reliably informed by my network of loyalists, and I verily believe, that Hon. Justice Darius Hyet Khobo has attended no fewer than three interactions in Kaduna metropolis and Southern Kaduna with some Southern Kaduna political, religious and community leaders.”
He alleged that the meetings took place between March and May 2026 and were presented as social or family events.
“At these interactions disguised as social or family events, which took place between March and May 2026, the learned trial judge made firm commitments and statements to the effect that he would never grant me bail, and that he would ensure my conviction when the time came,” El-Rufai stated.
He further linked the alleged conduct to political grievances arising from his eight-year administration in Kaduna.
El-Rufai maintained that his administration had taken measures to confront insecurity and political structures in Southern Kaduna.
He argued that those actions had created enemies who, he alleged, were now seeking to use the criminal case against him.
“But for this and other reasons, my administration and I made enemies. And those enemies have found, in the person of Hon. Justice Darius Hyet Khobo, a judicial instrument for their vengeance,” he said.
He added: “I do not allege that the learned trial judge is himself a member of this cabal, even though he could as well be. I allege something more dangerous: that he has allowed himself to be used as its instrument.”
El-Rufai also claimed that the alleged activities had affected his confidence in receiving a fair trial.
He said: “Your Lordship, a judge who attends what are clearly political interactions in the stronghold of the defendant’s adversaries and promises them his conviction is not a judge. He is a participant in a conspiracy against the defendant.”
The former governor asked the Chief Judge to transfer Charge No. KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026 to another judge.
He also sought an order allowing his pending applications in the case to be heard afresh by whichever judge would take over the matter.
However, El-Rufai made clear in the petition that he was not asking the Chief Judge to determine his bail application or interfere with any appeal before the Court of Appeal.
