Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was present at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday, where his bail application is scheduled to be heard.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission had earlier arraigned him before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa on a 10-count charge bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
El-Rufai was brought to court after spending over a month in detention. The court had previously fixed March 31, 2026, for the hearing of pending applications, including his bail request.
However, on March 27, the commission granted him temporary release on compassionate grounds following the death of his mother, Hajiya Ummar El-Rufai, in Cairo, Egypt.
In a separate case, the anti-corruption agency has also filed charges against him and another defendant, Amadu Sule, at the Kaduna State High Court.
Meanwhile, the Department of State Services has filed a three-count charge against the former governor at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges relate to the alleged unlawful interception of phone communications belonging to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, in violation of the Cybercrimes Act.
His arraignment in that matter has been scheduled for April 23, 2026, after earlier delays linked to his detention.
El-Rufai has also initiated legal action against the authorities. In one suit, he is seeking ₦1 billion in damages against the ICPC and other agencies over a February 19 raid on his Abuja residence, which he described as unlawful. He is also asking the court to invalidate the search warrant and prevent the use of any evidence obtained during the operation.
In another case against the DSS, he is seeking ₦2 billion in damages and has asked the court to dismiss the wiretapping charges, arguing that they amount to unconstitutional harassment.
The legal battles stem from events that began on February 16, 2026, when El-Rufai was first detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission over allegations of misappropriating ₦423 billion. Although he was granted administrative bail two days later, he was immediately re-arrested by the ICPC.
