El-Rufai Appears In Court As Alleged Fraud Trial Continues (Video)

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday, appeared at the Kaduna State High Court in continuation of proceedings in the alleged fraud case against him.

The former Governor was seen exchanging pleasantries with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Kaduna State, Isa Kudan, before entering the court premises.

El-Rufai is facing trial on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged corruption and other financial offences linked to transactions and decisions during his tenure as Governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.

Naija News reports that Tuesday’s proceedings follow El-Rufai’s unsuccessful efforts to secure bail in the Kaduna State case and a separate controversy over a medical report submitted to support his release request.

The Appeal Court had refused to grant the former Governor’s request for bail, just as the lower courts had ruled earlier.

Recall that Justice Darius Khobo set the next hearing and directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which has custody of the former governor, to produce him in court to continue the proceedings.

Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, seeking to stop the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and other agencies from freezing his bank accounts or seizing his assets.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik dismissed the suit on Thursday, holding that it amounted to an abuse of court process because El-Rufai had earlier filed a similar case before the FCT High Court.

The judge also upheld the respondents’ argument that the court could not be used to restrain law enforcement agencies from performing their statutory duties.

Naija News reorts that Justice Abdulmalik described the suit as speculative and lacking in merit.

She further held that the case disclosed no reasonable cause of action against the EFCC, the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Attorney-General of the Federation, and struck out their names from the suit.

El-Rufai filed the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/368/2026, seeking orders restraining the agencies from freezing his bank accounts, seizing his properties, or forfeiting his assets pending determination of the substantive case.

The former governor also asked the court to declare that the severance benefits he received after his tenure as Kaduna governor between 2015 and 2023 were lawfully earned and could not be regarded as proceeds of crime.