A Federal High Court has approved bail for former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, in an ongoing corruption case filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The trial judge admitted the former governor to bail in the sum of N200 million, requiring him to provide two sureties who must also present the same financial guarantee before the court.
However, El-Rufai will remain in the custody of the anti-corruption agency until all the conditions attached to the bail are fully satisfied.
Among the requirements set by the court is the submission of international passports by the sureties, while one of them must be a serving civil servant not below Grade Level 15.
The second guarantor must also be a recognised traditional ruler, a condition the court said was necessary to ensure the defendant’s compliance with the judicial process.
Furthermore, the court directed that the former governor must refrain from making public statements about the case and must attend every scheduled court sitting throughout the trial.
A lawyer involved in the defence team explained after the ruling that the court intended to ensure strict adherence to the bail conditions.
"The judge emphasised that the conditions are meant to guarantee the defendant’s presence in court and to prevent interference with the legal process,” the lawyer said.
Although counsel to the former governor, Ubong Akpan, declined to address journalists after the proceedings, family members confirmed that the court had approved bail.
Bello El-Rufai, the former governor’s son, also acknowledged the development and indicated that the legal team was working toward fulfilling the requirements attached to the release order.
Similarly, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Hayatudeen Lawal Makarfi, confirmed the decision and noted that the conditions were extensive.
“The bail comes with several strict requirements, including financial guarantees and a traditional ruler acting as surety. Until these are completed, he will remain in custody,” Makarfi said.
The ruling was delivered on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Kaduna by Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, who had earlier postponed the decision from April 1 to April 14, 2026, to allow both the prosecution and defence present arguments on the bail request.
Meanwhile, the legal challenges facing the former governor are far from over. A separate corruption case pending before the Kaduna State High Court has also reached a critical stage, but the court has postponed its decision on his bail application in that matter.
That ruling is now scheduled for April 21, 2026, extending the courtroom battle confronting the former governor.
Post a Comment
Drop Your Comment In The Box Below