Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has criticised the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, expressing concern over the bail conditions attached to his release as a Federal High Court in Kaduna fixed July 1, 2026, to rule on applications seeking bail for the former governor and his co-defendant.
The court reached the decision after listening to arguments from both the prosecution and defence in the corruption case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
El-Rufai is facing several allegations, including abuse of office, financial misconduct and money laundering. The former governor appeared before two separate courts in Kaduna on Wednesday as proceedings in the cases continued.
At the Federal High Court presided over by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari, El-Rufai, former Special Adviser Jimi Lawal and several corporate entities were arraigned on an amended 11-count charge. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the count filed against him, while Lawal also denied the charges linked to him. A corporate entity, Singularity Network Security Limited, was equally arraigned on multiple counts.
Following submissions by both legal teams, Justice Buhari adjourned the matter until July 1 for a ruling on the bail requests.
Earlier in the day, El-Rufai arrived at the court premises under heavy security. He also appeared before a Kaduna State High Court presided over by Justice Darius Khobo in another ICPC case involving allegations of abuse of office and money laundering during his time as governor between 2015 and 2023. That case was later adjourned until June 29 for further hearing.
The ICPC has maintained that its investigations uncovered irregularities in the management of public funds and contract awards during El-Rufai’s administration. The anti-corruption agency alleged that public resources were diverted and misapplied. El-Rufai, however, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, insisting that all actions taken during his administration were lawful and aimed at serving the public interest.
Reacting to the development, Atiku expressed concern over the refusal of the court to relax the bail conditions earlier granted to the former governor. He argued that bail conditions that are nearly impossible to fulfil could effectively deny a defendant freedom before trial.
According to Atiku, the principle of innocence until proven guilty remains a fundamental part of the legal system, and bail should serve as a safeguard for that right rather than a form of punishment before a verdict is reached.
The former vice president questioned conditions that require a defendant to provide highly placed civil servants and other difficult requirements before securing release. He said such measures raise concerns about whether bail is genuinely being granted or merely made inaccessible.
Atiku warned that the issue goes beyond El-Rufai’s case and could affect the rights of other citizens in the future. He noted that public confidence in the justice system depends on the perception that courts remain fair, accessible and committed to protecting constitutional rights.
He also raised concerns about what he described as a growing public perception that opposition politicians and critics of government are increasingly finding themselves entangled in legal battles. According to him, democratic systems must ensure that legal processes are not viewed as tools for silencing dissent.
While making it clear that he was not commenting on whether El-Rufai is guilty or innocent of the allegations against him, Atiku insisted that constitutional guarantees such as liberty, fair hearing and the presumption of innocence must be respected at all times.
He called on institutions involved in the administration of justice to maintain fairness and proportionality in their decisions, warning that detention resulting from impossible bail conditions could amount to punishment before trial.
The court is expected to deliver its ruling on the bail applications on July 1, while proceedings in the substantive cases against El-Rufai and the other defendants continue.