By Jane Okafor, Abeokuta
The Federal High Court in Kaduna has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, in a corruption case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Presiding judge, Rilwanu Aikawa, delivered the ruling on Tuesday after previously adjourning the matter from April 1 to April 14, 2026, to review submissions from both prosecution and defence.
The court granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of ₦200 million with two sureties in like amount. However, he is to remain in ICPC custody until all bail conditions are fulfilled.
As part of the conditions, the sureties must deposit their international passports with the court. One surety must be a civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the other must be a recognised traditional ruler.
Additionally, El-Rufai is barred from making public comments on the case and is required to attend all court proceedings.
His counsel, Ubong Akpan, declined to comment after the hearing. However, his son, Bello El-Rufai, confirmed that bail had been granted.
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Hayatudeen Lawal Makarfi, also confirmed the development, noting that the bail conditions include financial requirements, landed property, and a traditional ruler as surety.
He stressed that the conditions must be fully met before El-Rufai can regain his freedom, meaning he remains in custody for now.
Meanwhile, in a separate case at the Kaduna State High Court, a ruling on another bail application has been adjourned to April 21, 2026, prolonging the former governor’s legal challenges.
