A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday postponed the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to Wednesday after proceedings held under tight security due to strong public attention.
The case, which involves allegations of corruption, continued with the presence of heavy security operatives around the court premises. After the session ended, El-Rufai’s legal team confirmed that the court had shifted the bail hearing to the next day but did not give further details as they prepared additional documents for the case.
Following the court session, officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission escorted the former governor out of the court complex in an official vehicle. He had earlier appeared in court for the continuation of his bail request after spending more than a month in detention.
El-Rufai is facing trial before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa on multiple charges linked to alleged misuse and possession of public funds as well as money laundering. The court had initially scheduled March 31, 2026, to hear all pending applications, including the request for bail, but the matter could not be concluded.
Days before the hearing, the anti-corruption agency had temporarily released him on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother in Egypt. Despite that, legal proceedings continued as scheduled.
In a related development, the former governor was also brought before a Kaduna State High Court on separate charges involving alleged abuse of office and fraud alongside another defendant. After that session, he was moved back to the Federal High Court for the continuation of the main case.
With the adjournment, the court is expected to resume hearing on the bail application on Wednesday as the trial continues to attract nationwide attention.