Kaduna Court Adjourns El-Rufai Bail Variation to May 7

A Federal High Court in Kaduna adjourned its ruling on a bail variation application for former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai until May 7, as proceedings continue in multiple corruption and security-related cases against him. The decision came during a hearing on Wednesday before Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, where El-Rufai remains in custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission despite bail granted on April 14.

El-Rufai faces 10 counts of conversion, possession of proceeds of corruption, and money laundering at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga. Both pleaded not guilty. The court set bail at 200 million naira with two sureties of equal value: one a serving civil servant at Grade Level 15 or higher, the other a recognized traditional ruler or elder. Sureties must deposit their international passports. Defense counsel Oluwole Olaniyan sought to relax these terms, but the ICPC opposed via counter-affidavit from lawyer Agada Akogwu. The judge deferred the ruling after hearing arguments.

In the same hearing, Aikawa approved medical treatment for El-Rufai at Mile Dental Clinic, Skipper EyeQ Hospital in Abuja, or...