Nasir El-Rufai Appears In Court As Kaduna High Court Considers Bail Application

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, on Monday appeared at the Kaduna State High Court for the hearing of his bail application in connection with a nine-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

According to IReporter Online, the proceedings are linked to allegations bordering on fraud, abuse of office, and financial misconduct during his time in office. The court session was held behind closed doors, with journalists denied access to the courtroom.

Court sources revealed that the initial charges filed by the ICPC listed El-Rufai alongside one Amadu Sule. However, Sule was later removed from the case following an amended charge sheet submitted by the prosecution. This development was confirmed by El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Akpan (SAN), who addressed journalists after the proceedings.

Akpan explained that the defence team was only served with the amended charges during the court sitting, describing the development as unexpected and noting that it prevented the matter from proceeding as scheduled. He stated that the defence would review the fresh charges before taking a formal position in court.

Consequently, the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, adjourned the case to April 14 for the hearing of the bail application.

Details of the amended charges allege that El-Rufai was involved in the approval and disbursement of about ₦11 billion to an unregistered entity for a light rail project that was never executed. He is also accused of allegedly approving and receiving ₦289.8 million as severance allowance, an amount said to be significantly above what he was legally entitled to.

The ICPC further alleged mismanagement of over $1.08 million from a World Bank loan, as well as conspiracy to obstruct investigations involving alleged inducement of federal investigators. Additional allegations include procurement violations linked to a ₦4.6 billion CCTV project in Kaduna metropolis and conferring undue advantage on associates.

The former governor is also expected to face separate proceedings at the Federal High Court in Kaduna over related charges filed by the anti-corruption agency.