BREAKING: El-Rufai to Remain in Custody as Court Fixes Date for Bail Ruling
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has fixed April 14 to deliver its ruling on the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, after hearing arguments from both the defence and prosecution.
Lead defence counsel, Adewole Iyamu, expressed optimism about the outcome, stating that all submissions had been properly presented before the court.
El-Rufai, who is facing a 10-count corruption charge instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was previously held in ICPC custody from February 19 until his temporary release on March 28 following the death of his mother in Cairo, Egypt.
Iyamu also disclosed that the former governor is expected to appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on April 10 in a separate case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS), adding that all necessary legal documents have been filed.
According to the defence, the bail application was formally moved and duly opposed by the prosecution, while the legal team remains fully prepared for the upcoming Abuja hearing.
Meanwhile, security has been heightened around the Kaduna court complex, with operatives deployed to maintain order amid growing public interest in the case. Journalists were earlier denied access to the courtroom, while traffic restrictions on nearby roads led to congestion in the area.
In a related development, El-Rufai withdrew his N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against a magistrate in Abuja following concerns over the proper identification of the second defendant. Observers are now awaiting further developments on both the bail ruling and the separate legal proceedings.
