A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned until July 1, 2026, for ruling on the bail applications filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, and his co-defendant, Jimi Lawal, in an alleged corruption case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The court, presided over by Justice Hauwa’u Buhari, fixed the date after hearing submissions from both the prosecution and defence on the bail requests.
El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, is facing allegations bordering on abuse of office, financial impropriety and money laundering. He appeared before the Federal High Court alongside Lawal, a former special adviser during his administration, and several corporate entities named in the suit.
According to court proceedings, El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the charge against him, while Lawal entered not guilty pleas to multiple counts contained in the amended charge. A corporate entity, Singularity Network Security Limited, was also arraigned on several counts.In total, El-Rufai, Lawal and five corporate entities are standing trial in the matter.
The former governor arrived at the court premises on Wednesday under tight security as proceedings resumed in the high-profile case.
In a related development, El-Rufai also appeared before the Kaduna State High Court for the continuation of hearing in another case filed by the ICPC.
The case, before Justice Darius Khobo, involves allegations of abuse of office and money laundering said to have occurred during his tenure as governor between 2015 and 2023.Justice Khobo subsequently adjourned the matter until June 29, 2026, for further hearing.
The Federal High Court case had earlier been postponed to June 24 following the absence of two co-defendants at a previous sitting.El-Rufai has consistently denied all allegations against him, maintaining that decisions taken during his administration were lawful and carried out in the public interest.
The ICPC, however, alleges that its investigations uncovered irregularities in the management of government funds and the award of contracts, leading to the alleged diversion and misuse of public resources.
The trial has continued to attract significant public attention due to El-Rufai’s prominence in national politics and his eight-year tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
With the latest adjournment, attention will now shift to July 1 when the court is expected to rule on the pending bail applications.
