…As ex-Chief of Staff secures ₦200m bail
The trial of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufa’i, over alleged corruption and abuse of office suffered another setback yesterday, as a Federal High Court in Kaduna adjourned proceedings due to the absence of two co-defendants standing trial alongside him.
The case, instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), centres on allegations of abuse of office, fraud and financial misconduct during el-Rufa’i’s tenure as governor. Prosecutors allege that public funds were released for projects that were either not executed or irregularly managed.
At the resumed hearing, el-Rufa’i arrived in court at about 9:30 a.m. accompanied by ICPC officials as well as operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Police. The court had been expected to continue hearing Motions and arguments from both the prosecution and defence. However, proceedings could not continue as scheduled, prompting the court to adjourn the matter until June 28, 2026.
The former governor has consistently denied all allegations and maintains his innocence.
The latest adjournment comes months after the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, granted el-Rufa’i bail on April 14, 2026, in the sum of ₦200 million with two sureties, including a serving or retired civil servant on Grade Level-15 and a recognised traditional ruler. His legal team has since sought a variation of the bail conditions.
In a related development, a former Chief of Staff to el-Rufa’i, Bashir Sa’idu, and one of the defendants linked to the case, was granted bail by a Kaduna State High Court. The court ordered Sa’idu to provide two sureties in the sum of ₦200 million, with their respective district heads required to attest to their residency status before the bail conditions can be perfected.
The case remains one of the most closely watched corruption trials involving former senior government officials in Kaduna State.
