Justice Rilwan Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna State has granted former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai bail in connection with charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The charges relate to alleged financial misconduct, including the handling of funds in his domiciliary account and earnings during his tenure. However, a separate bail application before the Kaduna State High Court, where El-Rufai is facing a nine-count amended charge, remains undecided. The presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, has reserved judgment on that bail application until April 21, 2026. El-Rufai was brought before the state court on April 13, 2026, by ICPC and Department of State Services (DSS) operatives. One charge alleges he authorised the release of ₦11 billion to an unregistered entity for a light rail project that was never carried out. He is also accused of approving and collecting ₦289.8 million as severance allowance, significantly exceeding the legally permitted ₦20 million. Another count involves the alleged misapplication of over $1.08 million from a World Bank loan. El-Rufai has denied all charges. His legal team, led by Barrister Ubong Akpan, objected to the late submission of the amended charges, prompting Justice Khobo to adjourn proceedings for the defence to review the documents.
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