KADUNA:Former Nasir El-Rufai, ex-governor of Kaduna State, has been returned to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) after appearing in two courts in Kaduna on Tuesday over ongoing corruption charges.
El-Rufai had earlier been granted temporary leave from custody on March 27, 2026, on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother. However, he was re-arraigned as part of continuing legal proceedings related to allegations of corruption and abuse of office.
On Tuesday, the former governor first appeared before a Kaduna State High Court where the anti-corruption agency filed a separate charge against him.
However, the proceedings could not continue as scheduled because one of the co-defendants failed to appear in court. As a result, the judge adjourned the matter until April 10, 2026.
Following the adjournment, El-Rufai was taken to the Federal High Court in Kaduna where his bail application was scheduled to be heard.
Earlier in the proceedings, the court had postponed the hearing on his bail request to March 31, pending further legal review.
In a related development, El-Rufai withdrew a N1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit he had filed against a magistrate at the FCT Magistrate’s Court.
The withdrawal followed concerns raised by the Federal High Court in Abuja regarding defects in the filing of the suit.
Counsel to the former governor, Ugochukwu Nnakwu, announced the withdrawal before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik shortly after the case was called.
The court had earlier pointed out that the magistrate listed as the second defendant in the case was not properly identified in the legal documents.
The ICPC is prosecuting El-Rufai on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and unlawful possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
Prosecutors also allege that the former governor engaged in abuse of office and granted undue advantage in certain transactions during his tenure as governor.
In a related case, El-Rufai was earlier arraigned before a Kaduna State High Court alongside Amadu Sule, where they both face additional charges including fraud and abuse of office.
The former governor has strongly denied all allegations brought against him by the anti-corruption agency.
His legal team maintains that he is innocent and has vowed to challenge the charges in court.
Meanwhile, the ICPC says it is committed to pursuing the case in accordance with the law as part of efforts to strengthen accountability and combat corruption in public office.
With the next hearing scheduled for April 10, the case is expected to continue drawing significant public attention given El-Rufai’s prominence in Nigerian politics.
