A Kaduna State High Court has refused the bail application filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, ordering that he remain in custody pending trial over alleged corruption-related charges.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Darius Khobo on April 21, 2026, in a case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
El-Rufai, who is facing a nine-count charge bordering on alleged abuse of office, dishonest disposal of funds, and related financial offences, had applied for bail on the grounds that the charges were not capital in nature and that he posed no flight risk.
However, the court held that the seriousness of the allegations and concerns raised by the ICPC about possible interference with ongoing investigations outweighed the arguments presented by the defence.
The anti-graft agency had argued that releasing the former governor could jeopardise investigations and potentially allow him influence over witnesses or other suspects still under probe.
In his ruling, Justice Khobo agreed with the prosecution’s position, stating that the weight of the allegations and the need to ensure a fair trial made bail inappropriate at this stage.
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