COURT ADJOURN EL-RUFAI’S BAIL HEARING, FIX JUNE 17 FOR N1B SUIT AGAINST ICPC
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Federal High Court in Kaduna yesterday adjourned ruling on the bail application of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai until today, while a separate Federal High Court in Abuja scheduled June 17 to hear his N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
El-Rufai, facing a 10-count charge over alleged conversion and possession of public property and money laundering, was brought to the Kaduna court under tight security for the continuation of his trial. Counsel Mr Ukpong Abang, SAN, confirmed the bail hearing’s adjournment. The former governor, who spent over a month in detention, had previously been granted temporary release on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother in Cairo, Egypt.
In a related matter, El-Rufai and one Amadu Sule were arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court on separate charges of alleged abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
Meanwhile, in Abuja, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik will hear El-Rufai’s suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026) challenging the legality of a February 4 search warrant used by the ICPC to search his residence on Mambilla Street, Aso Drive. The former governor contends that the warrant was invalid, lacked probable cause, and violated his constitutional rights to privacy, dignity, personal liberty, and fair hearing under Sections 34, 35, 36, and 37 of the 1999 Constitution.
El-Rufai is seeking declarations that the search and seizure were unlawful, that any evidence obtained is inadmissible, and an order for the return of all seized items with a full inventory. During Tuesday’s proceedings, his counsel applied to remove the Chief Magistrate originally listed as a defendant, which the court granted. The ICPC argued that this amendment rendered the suit incompetent, but the court dismissed the objection and allowed El-Rufai to pursue his case, directing the anti-graft agency to file its response.
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