No Reprieve for El-Rufai Yet: To Remain in Custody Until June for Bail Application

Nasir el-Rufai’s bid for freedom hit another roadblock on Tuesday as the Kaduna State High Court deferred his bail ruling until June 2026.

Under the watchful eye of ICPC and DSS operatives, the former governor sat through a brief session that resulted in no resolution, extending his time in detention.

The atmosphere outside the courtroom was charged, with lead counsel Ukpon Akpan accusing the bench of bowing to political pressure.

“These are orchestrated delays,” Akpan told reporters, voicing frustration over the court’s inability to meet its own April 21 deadline.

As the case shifts to June, the focus remains on the nine-count fraud charge that has kept one of Nigeria’s most prominent political figures behind bars.

The anti-graft agency dropped a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, from the revised charges.

In a separate criminal case before the Federal High Court in Kaduna, El-Rufai was granted bail in the sum of N200 million by Justice Rilwani Aikawa.

The former governor and ex-minister had remained in ICPC custody since February 19, following his release by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

He was briefly released on compassionate grounds on March 27 after the death of his mother.

The developments have sparked renewed debate over the pace of justice in high-profile corruption cases involving former public officials in the state.