A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Thursday fixed June 1, 2026, for the hearing of two pre-trial motions filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the corruption case instituted against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

The court, presided over by Justice Rilwanu Aikawa, adjourned the matter after counsel for the former governor, Mustapha Abubakar (SAN), informed the court that he was not ready to move the applications immediately.

El-Rufai is facing allegations of financial misconduct, including the alleged release of billions of naira belonging to Kaduna State for projects said to have remained unexecuted during his administration.

The former governor, however, denied all the allegations.

The court had earlier, on Wednesday, adjourned proceedings until Thursday for a ruling on applications seeking a variation of some of the bail conditions earlier granted to the defendant.

Justice Aikawa had, on April 14, admitted El-Rufai to bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.

The court also ordered that the former governor remain in ICPC custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

According to the conditions, one of the sureties must be a senior civil servant not below Grade Level 15, while the second must be a recognised elder in the state.

The court further directed the sureties to deposit their international passports and restrained the former governor from making public comments on the matter pending the determination of the case.

Ruling on the application for variation of the bail conditions on Thursday, Justice Aikawa declined the defendant’s request seeking permission for the first surety to provide a bank guarantee of N200 million instead of a cash deposit.

The judge, however, granted the application seeking a variation allowing the second surety to be recognised by a district head instead of the Kaduna State Council of Elders, as earlier ordered.

Abubakar also drew the attention of the court to two motions earlier filed by the defence seeking to strike out some documents attached to the charges preferred against the former governor by the ICPC.

The court subsequently adjourned until 1 p.m. on June 1 for the hearing of the motions.

The anti-graft agency had accused El-Rufai of authorising payments running into billions of naira for projects allegedly not executed during his tenure as governor.

The case has continued to generate public interest given El-Rufai’s prominent role in national politics and his recent criticisms of the administration of his successor in Kaduna State.

______________________________________________________________________ “Enhance Legal Practice With Authoritative Reports” — Alexander Payne Offers Comprehensive Law Reports, Spanning Over A Century Of Nigerian Jurisprudence

Interested buyers are encouraged to place their orders and enquiries via: 0704 444 4777, 0704 444 4999, 0818 199 9888 Website: www.alexandernigeria.com

______________________________________________________________________ ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR LAWYERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE Reimagine your practice with the power of AI “...this is the only Nigerian book I know of on the topic.” — Ohio Books Ltd Authored by Ben Ijeoma Adigwe, Esq., ACIArb (UK), LL.M, Dip. in Artificial Intelligence, Director, Delta State Ministry of Justice, Asaba, Nigeria. Bonus: Get a FREE eBook titled “How to Use the AI in Legalpedia and Law Pavilion” with every purchase.

How to Order: 📞 Call, Text, or WhatsApp: 08034917063 | 07055285878 📧 Email: benadigwe1@gmail.com 🌐 Website: www.benadigwe.com

Ebook Version: Access directly online at: https://selar.com/prv626

_______________________________________________________________________ [A MUST HAVE] Evidence Act Demystified With Recent And Contemporary Cases And Materials
“Evidence Act: Complete Annotation” by renowned legal experts Sanni & Etti.
Available now for NGN 40,000 at ASC Publications, 10, Boyle Street, Onikan, Lagos. Beside High Court, TBS. Email publications@ayindesanni.com or WhatsApp +2347056667384. Purchase Link: https://paystack.com/buy/evidence-act-complete-annotation ______________________________________________________________________ “Bridging Theory And Courtroom Practice” — Hagler Sunny Okorie, Nathaniel Ngozi Ikeocha Unveil ‘Functional’ Tort Law Book For Nigerian Legal System The book, titled The Law of Torts in Nigeria: A Functional Approach, authored by Professor Hagler Sunny Okorie Ph.D and Ikeocha, Nathaniel Ngozi Esq, offers law students, practitioners, and academics a comprehensive guide to understanding and applying tort law in Nigerian courts. Interested buyers can place orders via the following contact numbers: 08028636615, 08037667945, 08032253813, or +234 902 196 2209.