There was heightened tension in Kaduna on Tuesday as former governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, appeared before the Federal High Court for the anticipated ruling on his bail application, following new charges filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Security was significantly beefed up around the court premises, presided over by Justice Rilwan Aikawa, as supporters, legal observers, and members of the public gathered in anticipation of the proceedings.
Earlier in the day, El-Rufai had made his first appearance at the Kaduna State High Court at about 9:00 a.m., where expectations were high that the bail application would be addressed. However, proceedings took an unexpected turn when the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, adjourned the matter to April 21.
The adjournment followed fresh legal developments by the ICPC, which submitted an amended nine-count charge against the former governor. According to his counsel, Ukpong Abang, the prosecution made last-minute changes to the case, including dropping one of the earlier co-defendants, thereby leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant.
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Speaking to journalists after Monday’s proceedings, Abang expressed concern over the timing of the amended charges.
“The charges are entirely new to us. They were given to us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed to hearing,” he said.
He added that the defence team would require adequate time to carefully review the new charges before determining their next course of action.
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“We will analyse the charges and make our position known. For now, there is nothing we can do until we have fully reviewed them,” Abang stated.
Originally scheduled for Tuesday, April 14, the ruling on El-Rufai’s bail application has now been postponed to April 21, pending further review of the amended charges.
The latest developments mark another twist in the legal battle involving the former governor, as both the prosecution and defence prepare for what could be a closely watched court process in the coming weeks.
