Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has suffered a setback in his ongoing legal battle after a court declined his application seeking a variation of the bail conditions earlier imposed on him, meaning he will remain in custody pending the fulfillment of those conditions.
The ruling was delivered by the Federal High Court, where El-Rufai is facing corruption-related charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The former governor had approached the court through his legal team, requesting a review of the stringent bail conditions attached to the N200 million bail earlier granted to him.
At the previous hearing, the court had granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like amount. One of the sureties was required to be a Kaduna resident with a property valued at N200 million and a verified Certificate of Occupancy, while the second surety was expected to be a respected elder certified by an elders’ council. The court also ordered him to surrender his international passport and comply with other restrictions.
During the latest proceedings, counsel to the former governor urged the court to ease the conditions, arguing that they were difficult to meet. However, the ICPC opposed the request and urged the court to retain the existing terms. After hearing submissions from both sides, the court rejected the application for variation, effectively leaving the original bail conditions intact.
As a result of the decision, El-Rufai will remain in custody until he satisfies the bail requirements set by the court.
The former governor is facing multiple charges linked to allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and money laundering during his tenure as Kaduna State governor between 2015 and 2023. He has pleaded not guilty to the allegations and maintains his innocence.
The case has continued to attract national attention given El-Rufai’s prominence in Nigerian politics and his role in recent opposition coalition activities ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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