Abuja, February 25, 2026 – SUNTV Global Channel
The Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday refused to hear the bail application of former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, declaring it premature and adjourning the case to April 23, 2026. The ruling was delivered by Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik.
El-Rufai, who remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was not present in court during the proceedings. A lawyer who witnessed the session revealed that the court declined to allow his legal team to move the bail application, stating that the request was “immature.”
“On the El-Rufai case, the court denied his counsel the right to move for his bail application just now. The judge said the application is immature and adjourned the matter to April 23, 2026, for proper arraignment,” the source said.
Some prominent members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Bolaji Abdullahi, attended the session to observe proceedings.
The former governor is currently embroiled in multiple legal battles with federal anti-corruption agencies. Last week, he filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation. The suit, filed on February 20, 2026, alleges that ICPC operatives unlawfully invaded his Abuja residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, relying on a defective search warrant.
According to his legal team, led by Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, the warrant lacked specificity regarding items to be seized and contained typographical errors, making it invalid.
El-Rufai’s aides have also raised concerns over his treatment in custody. His media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, claimed that the former governor suffered a nosebleed during detention and was denied access to meals brought by his family. He was also reportedly transferred overnight from EFCC custody to ICPC without notice to his lawyers or relatives.
Despite ongoing efforts to secure bail, his legal team maintains that no valid remand order has been presented to justify his continued detention beyond constitutionally permitted limits.
The court is now expected to formally arraign El-Rufai when proceedings resume on April 23, 2026, as the high-profile legal tussle between the former governor and federal anti-corruption agencies continues.
