A Kaduna State High Court has ordered that former governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after postponing its ruling on his bail application until the first week of June.
The decision was delivered on Tuesday by the presiding judge, Darius Khobo, following arguments presented by both the prosecution and defence in a case involving multiple allegations, including fraud, abuse of office, and corruption.
El-Rufai, who is currently the sole defendant after an amendment to the charges by the ICPC, will remain in detention pending the court’s determination of his bail request.
At the resumed hearing, proceedings were dominated by submissions on the bail application filed by the former governor. While the defence urged the court to grant bail, the prosecution opposed the request, arguing that releasing the defendant could jeopardise ongoing investigations.
After listening to both sides, the court declined to deliver an immediate ruling and instead adjourned the matter, directing that El-Rufai be remanded in ICPC custody until a decision is reached.
Counsel to the defendant, Ukpong Akpan, criticised the court’s position, describing it as unjustified and suggestive of underlying concerns about fairness in the proceedings.
He argued that the refusal to grant bail appeared to be based on the assumption that his client’s status as a former governor could enable him to interfere with investigations.
“The court, in its wisdom, decided that because Nasir El-Rufai is a former governor, he is going to interfere with the investigation. Therefore, he is not entitled to bail in an allegation of financial impropriety. We respectfully disagree,” Akpan said.
The defence lawyer further indicated that the legal team would carefully review the court’s decision and take appropriate steps to challenge it through lawful means.
According to him, the next course of action would involve pursuing available legal remedies within the judicial process.
He also suggested that the case carries political undertones, maintaining that the legal team would nonetheless remain committed to due process and the rule of law.
“From the beginning, everything about Nasir El-Rufai’s travails has always been political. This is mainly the legal arm of it,” he stated.
Akpan appealed to supporters of the former governor to remain calm and law-abiding despite the development, urging them not to panic over the court’s decision.
He emphasised that legal battles often involve both setbacks and progress, expressing confidence that the defence would continue to contest the case.
“Don’t allow fear to take over. Don’t act as if something fatal has happened. Nobody has died. In a conflict, you have gains and setbacks. Sometimes things work against you, but you must not be frightened. Sit up. We are going to take this battle on and we are going to win,” he added.
The case stems from an amended nine-count charge brought by the ICPC, bordering on alleged financial misconduct during El-Rufai’s time in office as governor of Kaduna State. The anti-corruption agency had earlier revised the charges, leaving him as the only defendant in the matter.
The court subsequently adjourned proceedings to the first week of June for a ruling on the bail application, as well as continuation of the trial.
