Court Adjourns El-Rufai Bail Hearing to June
Fresh uncertainty has emerged over the pre-trial fate of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai after the Kaduna State High Court postponed his bail hearing to the first week of June 2026.
Trial Judge Darius Khobo announced the adjournment on Tuesday as El-Rufai was brought to court under the custody of operatives from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Department of State Services.
The development extends a sequence of delays that has characterised proceedings around the former governor’s bail application. Court records show that on April 14, Judge Khobo had fixed April 21 for ruling on the application, a date that has now been vacated in favour of June.
El-Rufai’s counsel, Ukpon Akpan, criticised the repeated adjournments shortly after proceedings, describing the pattern as politically driven and alleging that it undermines his client’s right to a timely hearing. The claims have not been substantiated in court filings, and no official response from prosecuting authorities has been made public as of the time of reporting.
The former governor was arraigned before the Kaduna State High Court on April 13 by the ICPC on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud and abuse of office. According to court documents, the anti-graft agency revised its case, dropping a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, from the charges.
Parallel proceedings at the Federal High Court present a contrasting legal position. In that case, presided over by Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, El-Rufai was granted bail in the sum of N200 million, reflecting the separate nature of the charges and jurisdictions involved.
Despite that ruling, El-Rufai has remained in ICPC custody since February 19, following his earlier release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. The timeline of his detention includes a temporary compassionate release on March 27 to attend the burial of his mother, who died the same day. He was subsequently returned to custody.
The case continues to draw attention given El-Rufai’s political profile and previous role as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. However, the charges remain allegations, and no court has reached a final determination on his culpability.
With the next hearing now pushed to June, the proceedings are set to extend beyond three months since his arraignment, raising broader questions about judicial timelines, case management, and the balance between due process and prosecutorial readiness within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.