*Remains in ICPC custody following Kaduna high court’s earlier denial of bail application
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to a former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million with one surety in like sum.
The former governor, who admitted on national television to wiretapping the National Security Adviser (NSA), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, is being charged by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly breaching national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while delivering ruling on a bail application, imposed a series of stringent conditions to be met by the defendant before perfecting the bail.
However, if the former governor meets today’s bail conditions, he may still not be a free man based on an April 21, 2026, ruling by a Kaduna State High Court refusing his bail application.
Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna Judicial Division, in a matter brought against the former governor by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), ruled that the seriousness of the allegations against El’Rufai and concerns over interference with investigations outweighed the grounds advanced for his release.
Also, the former governor has yet to meet the April 14, 2026, bail conditions spelt by a Federal High Court, Kaduna, which included in the sum of N200 million
with two sureties in like sum, who should be senior civil servants (not below Grade Level 15), and a traditional ruler, and that both sureties must deposit their international passports with the court.
At the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the proposed surety for the former governor must reside in either of Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja, and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
The surety is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17, and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of the bank within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.
As part of the bail conditions, El-Rufai is to deposit all valid international passports with the court.
The court also directed that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
Justice Abdulmalik further ordered the defendant to report to the headquarters of the DSS every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.
The judge warned that failure to comply would lead to the automatic revocation of the bail.
The court additionally directed the defendant to submit a letter of attestation from the chairman, Kaduna State Traditional Council.
The court thereafter ordered an accelerated trial.
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