Federal High Court in Kaduna delays hearing after late prosecution filing in alleged corruption case.
By A1NEWS International — Abuja, Nigeria
The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna has adjourned the bail hearing of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to April 1, 2026.
The adjournment followed procedural developments, including late filings by the prosecution in the case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
El-Rufai appeared before the court on Tuesday for proceedings related to the allegations filed by the ICPC.
During the session, defence counsel, Ukpon Akpan, initially submitted a motion requesting that the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, recuse himself from the case. The request cited concerns over alleged bias and a pending petition against the judge.
However, the defence later filed a separate motion seeking to withdraw the recusal application.
The court was unable to proceed with the bail hearing as scheduled due to the prosecution’s late submission of its counter-affidavit responding to the bail application.
In light of this, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to Wednesday, April 1, for the continuation of the bail hearing.
Procedural Motions Stall Proceedings
The defence’s initial request for judicial recusal, followed by its withdrawal, contributed to delays in the proceedings. The court prioritised resolving procedural issues before proceeding with substantive arguments on bail.
Parallel Case Adjourned at State High Court
A separate case involving El-Rufai, also filed by the ICPC at the Kaduna State High Court, has been adjourned to April 10, 2026, for further hearing.
The adjournment highlights how procedural motions and filing timelines can affect the pace of high-profile corruption cases. The outcome of the bail hearing and subsequent proceedings will be closely watched as part of broader efforts to strengthen accountability in public office.
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