A former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has been returned to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Commission (ICPC).
El-Rufai, who left custody on March 27, 2026, following the death of his mother, was re-arraigned on Tuesday.
Earlier, the court had adjourned his application for bail till March 31, 2026.
But, on Tuesday, he first appeared at the Kaduna State High Court for a separate charge filed against him by the ICPC.
The absence of the second defendant stalled the hearing, which was then adjourned to 10 April 2026.
Subsequently, he was taken to the Federal High Court, Kaduna, which was scheduled to hear his application for bail today, Wednesday.
Shortly after the court’s proceedings, the former governor was returned to the ICPC custody pending the continuation of his trial on Wednesday.
The chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) was taken to the court amid tight security, less than 24 hours after he received dignitaries over the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai.
Confirming the adjournment of the bail application to one of our correspondents on Tuesday, El-Rufai’s Counsel, Upong Akpan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the hearing on the bail application would determine his client’s fate temporarily.
Akpan, who did not go into details, expressed confidence that the former governor would regain his freedom in due time.
“I’m sorry, I can’t talk now, we are in the middle of work. I have to go and file responses. The hearing of the bail application has been adjourned till tomorrow,” he stated.
El-Rufai is standing trial before the Federal High Court on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
The charges include: alleged unlawful receipt of about N289.8 million as severance allowance above-entitled benefits; alleged receipt of $320,800 through multiple deposits into a domiciliary account; alleged receipt of $155,800 and $305,300 from separate individuals; and alleged receipt of smaller dollar deposits from different persons at various times.
He denied all allegations levelled against him.
In the court, the Defence Counsel filed a motion, urging the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself from the case on grounds of alleged bias and a pending petition.
However, another motion was subsequently filed to withdraw the earlier request seeking the judge’s recusal.
The prosecution also filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail application, which contributed to the adjournment.
Earlier, El-Rufai, who was arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court sitting in Kawo before Justice Darious Khobo on separate charges, was scheduled to be docked alongside his co-defendant, one Amadu Sule, but the latter was absent in Court over reported ill-health.
Specifically, ICPC said the duo were being arraigned over allegations that border on abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud and conferring undue advantage.
It was gathered that the case, with charge number KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, was adjourned to April 10, 2026, for further hearing. The anti-graft agency had earlier explained that both charges were filed on March 18, 2026.
Specifically, armed personnel of the police, DSS and Kaduna State Vigilance Service were deployed to strategic locations, while major roads, including Ali Akilu Road, witnessed heavy traffic due to movement restrictions.
Journalists were barred from covering the proceedings, as the prosecuting counsel, Dr Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, declined to speak to the media.
Similarly, the Defence counsel, Ubong Akpan (SAN), also declined to comment at the State High Court.
The spokesman of the ICPC, John Odey, could not be reached last night when contacted, as calls to his mobile phone did not connect.
