From Femi Oyelola, Kaduna
A Kaduna State High Court has postponed the ruling on the bail application of former Governor Malam Nasir El-Rufai to the first week of June 2026.
This decision ensures the former governor will remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for at least another six weeks.
Presiding Judge Justice Darius Khobo announced the adjournment on Tuesday, April 21, following the resumption of the high-profile corruption case.
The former governor’s legal situation is currently a tale of two courts. While he remains in custody due to the pending ruling at the State High Court, a parallel case at the Federal High Court in Kaduna saw a different outcome last week:
Federal High Court Ruling: Justice Rilwanu Aikawa granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties in like sum.
The conditions include a restriction on making public comments about the case and a requirement to report to the ICPC headquarters on the first Monday of every month.
Despite meeting or being in the process of meeting these federal conditions, the lack of a bail ruling from the State High Court means the ICPC cannot legally release him.
The ICPC’s amended nine-count charge against El-Rufai involves allegations of fraud, abuse of office, and the conferment of undue advantage during his tenure as governor (2015–2023).
Specific allegations include: alleged mismanagement of approximately N11 billion earmarked for a light-rail project.
Irregularities in the award of a N4.6 billion CCTV contract, and jssues surrounding the payment of over N289 million in severance packages.
Following the adjournment, lead counsel for the former governor, Ubong Akpan, expressed strong dissatisfaction with the delay.
He characterized the repeated postponements as “politically motivated,” arguing that the court’s refusal to grant an immediate ruling appeared to be a deliberate attempt to keep his client in detention.
El-Rufai has been in ICPC custody since February 19, 2026, following his initial arrest by the EFCC. While he was granted a brief compassionate release on March 27 to attend his mother’s funeral, he was promptly returned to custody.
The court has now ordered that he be remanded in ICPC custody until the new date in June 2026, when a final decision on his pre-trial freedom is expected. The IMF forecasts that Qatar’s economy will contract by 8.6% in 2026, before bouncing back with 8.6% growth next year.
It also predicts that Iran’s neighbour, Iraq, will take an economic hit this year from the war, with a slowdown of 6.8%. But it is expected to recover to 11.3% growth in 2027.
A country’s economic resilience will depend on a number of factors, the IMF said, including the damage to energy infrastructure, dependence on the Strait of Hormuz and availability of alternative export routes.
The IMF said most Middle East oil exporters are forecast for an upturn next year “based on the assumption that energy production and transportation are normalized over the next few months”.
But it cautioned that this assumption “may need to be revised if the duration of the conflict extends and the degree of damage suffered gets reassessed”.
One country that has benefited from the surge in oil prices is Russia, according to IMF forecasts.
The Russian economy is expected to grow by 1.1% this year and next, ahead of previous predictions of 0.8% and 1% respectively.
Russia had been hit by a series of sanctions after it launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
In March, US President Donald Trump removed restrictions on exports of Russian oil as global prices soared.
He also temporarily lifted sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian oil for 30 days.
Trump has since announced a US blockade of Iranian ports to stop exports.
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