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Former Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday arrived at the Kaduna State High Court for the continuation of his corruption trial, accompanied by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in the state, Isa Ashiru.
El-Rufai arrived at the court premises at about 11:50 a.m., ahead of the hearing scheduled for noon, as security was tightened around the court complex.
Ashiru’s presence alongside the former governor added a political dimension to the proceedings, coming amid a series of legal battles involving El-Rufai, his continued detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and his unsuccessful attempts to secure bail in the Kaduna State case. Blueprint reports
The former governor’s appearance followed an order by Justice Darius Khobo directing the anti-corruption agency to produce him in court for the resumed hearing.
The case had been adjourned on Monday after El-Rufai was absent from court following information that he had requested to consult his personal medical doctor to review medical test results.
Tuesday’s proceedings are expected to advance the substantive trial, which involves allegations of corruption and other financial offences linked to transactions and decisions during El-Rufai’s administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.
Why the court adjourned proceedings on Monday
At Monday’s sitting, ICPC lead counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, told the court that the prosecution had expected El-Rufai to be present despite a request by his lead defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, for an adjournment to attend the swearing-in ceremony of a new set of Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the Supreme Court.
Adedipe explained that he had communicated with the defence over the scheduling of the proceedings and agreed to an adjournment for Monday, while proposing that the case continue on Tuesday.
The prosecution, however, expressed surprise that El-Rufai was also absent, saying it had not been informed that the defendant would be unavailable for the hearing.
Adedipe subsequently contacted the commission to establish why the former governor had not been brought to court and was informed that El-Rufai had requested to see his personal physician for a review of medical test results.
The information was communicated to the court, which directed that the defendant and all counsel be present at the next sitting.
Justice Khobo consequently ordered the ICPC to produce El-Rufai for the continuation of proceedings on Tuesday.
The latest development has again brought attention to the circumstances surrounding the former governor’s detention and access to medical care, issues that have featured prominently in earlier bail proceedings.
Court of Appeal dismisses El-Rufai’s bail appeal
The resumed hearing comes days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s appeal challenging the refusal of bail by the state high court.
In its judgment delivered on October 9, a three-member panel unanimously held that the former governor had failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting interference with the lower court’s decision.
The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which had refused El-Rufai’s second bail application on June 10.
The appellate court also struck out a reply brief filed by the appellant on September 29, describing it as incompetent, and resolved the issue before it against El-Rufai.
During the appeal, Erokoro argued that the offences against his client were bailable and did not attract the death penalty. He maintained that continued detention was affecting the former governor’s ability to prepare adequately for his defence.
The defence also argued that detention made access to lawyers and witnesses difficult and could affect confidential communication between the defendant and his legal team.
The ICPC opposed the appeal, insisting that the trial court had exercised its discretion appropriately and that El-Rufai had not established sufficient grounds for the appellate court to overturn the decision.
The commission also raised concerns about statements allegedly made by the former governor during a televised interview, arguing that they could raise questions about possible interference with the administration of justice.
The Court of Appeal ultimately dismissed the appeal for lacking merit.
The judgment did not determine the substantive corruption allegations against El-Rufai. Rather, it upheld the lower court’s refusal to grant bail, leaving him in custody while the criminal proceedings continued, subject to any further court orders.
How El-Rufai’s legal troubles began
El-Rufai’s legal troubles escalated in February 2026 when anti-corruption agencies intensified investigations into allegations of financial misconduct associated with his administration of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.
Before his detention by the ICPC, the former governor visited the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja following an invitation over alleged financial improprieties.
On February 18, the ICPC confirmed that El-Rufai was in its custody in connection with its investigations.
The development followed his earlier allegation that security operatives had attempted to arrest him after his return from Cairo, Egypt.
He also made allegations concerning an intercepted telephone conversation involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, claiming it revealed a plan to arrest him. The interception allegation subsequently became the subject of a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services.
The ICPC investigation, meanwhile, centred on alleged financial misconduct and abuse of office during his tenure as governor.
The commission obtained a remand order on February 19, permitting it to detain him for an initial 14 days while investigations continued. It subsequently secured an extension on March 5.
El-Rufai challenged the remand order, but the court dismissed his application on March 9, allowing his detention to continue under the subsisting order.
The investigations later resulted in multiple charges before different courts, setting the stage for a series of legal disputes over bail, the admissibility of evidence and the circumstances surrounding his continued detention.
Multiple charges over alleged financial misconduct
On March 24, El-Rufai was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Kaduna alongside Joel Adoga, a former associate, over a 10-count charge involving allegations of money laundering, abuse of office, fraud and unlawful handling of public funds.
The ICPC alleged, among other things, that the former governor received severance allowances exceeding his lawful entitlement and was involved in transactions relating to public funds.
The allegations included payments of about ₦289.8 million on two occasions, which the commission claimed exceeded the legally prescribed entitlement, as well as alleged dealings involving more than $1 million.
El-Rufai and his co-defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.
In a separate case before the Kaduna State High Court, the former governor faced allegations including abuse of office, fraud, attempted fraud and conferring undue advantage in connection with transactions and actions purportedly undertaken during his administration.
The proceedings also encompass allegations linked to public contracts, government funds and other financial transactions that took place during his eight-year administration.
The cases remain separate proceedings, with each subject to its own evidence and judicial determination. El-Rufai has denied wrongdoing and remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.
₦8.68bn CCTV contract case adds to legal battles
The former governor’s legal challenges expanded further in June when he was arraigned before the Federal High Court alongside his former senior special adviser, Jimi Lawal, and five companies over an alleged ₦8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract in Kaduna State.
The ICPC filed an amended 11-count charge in that case, which included allegations of corruption and money laundering.
The prosecution’s case centres on allegations relating to the award and handling of the surveillance contract, while the defendants are entitled to challenge the evidence and allegations presented against them.
The CCTV contract proceedings are distinct from the case before Justice Khobo at the Kaduna State High Court, although both form part of the broader legal challenges facing the former governor over alleged financial misconduct during his administration.
The existence of multiple cases has also complicated efforts to secure his release, as decisions concerning bail in one proceeding do not automatically determine his status in another.
Federal High Court grants bail, Kaduna court refuses release
El-Rufai secured a bail order on April 14 when the Federal High Court granted him bail in the case before it.
The court fixed bail at ₦200 million, subject to conditions that included two sureties. One was required to be a serving or retired federal government official not below Grade Level 15, while the other had to be a recognised traditional ruler.
The court also imposed requirements relating to the sureties’ passports and directed El-Rufai not to make public comments about the case.
However, the order did not automatically secure his release because it applied to the proceedings before the Federal High Court and did not override the separate case pending before the Kaduna State High Court.
On April 21, Justice Khobo rejected another bail application by the former governor in the state court.
The defence argued that the charges were not capital offences and that El-Rufai was entitled to bail under the law.
The prosecution opposed his release, raising concerns about the allegations, possible interference with investigations and the need to ensure his availability for trial.
The court declined to grant bail, leaving him in custody while the proceedings continued.
The contrasting decisions meant that the Federal High Court’s bail order alone could not secure his release while the separate state proceedings and detention-related issues remained unresolved.
Disputed medical report complicates bail efforts
El-Rufai subsequently approached the Kaduna State High Court with another bail application on medical grounds, arguing that his health circumstances warranted his release.
His defence presented a medical report dated June 10, 2026, which purportedly originated from the National Hospital, Abuja.
The document reportedly indicated that the former governor had advanced metastatic prostate cancer and required specialised treatment said to be unavailable in Nigeria.
The ICPC challenged the report, presenting information from the hospital’s management that it had no record of treating El-Rufai and had not authorised the document.
According to the commission, a search of the hospital’s electronic medical records and patient indexes revealed no hospital number, patient file, billing record or consultation history relating to the former governor.
The hospital also reportedly disowned the document as one issued without the knowledge or authorisation of its management.
On June 29, Justice Khobo dismissed El-Rufai’s third bail application, ruling that the disputed medical report could not provide a reliable basis for the exceptional relief being sought.
The court, however, directed the ICPC to provide the former governor with unrestricted access to his personal medical physicians and ensure that he could be escorted to a specialised diagnostic or clinical facility of his choice within Nigeria when necessary.
The directive addressed his access to medical care despite the refusal to release him on bail.
The dispute over the report subsequently extended beyond the bail proceedings, resulting in an investigation involving his personal physician.
ICPC arrests El-Rufai’s personal physician
The controversy over the medical report led to the arrest of El-Rufai’s personal physician, Professor Bello Abubakar, an oncology consultant at the National Hospital, Abuja.
On July 7, the ICPC facilitated a court-approved medical visit involving El-Rufai at the private wing of the National Hospital.
The commission later alleged that the visit had been used for activities beyond the scope of the medical consultation.
According to the ICPC, photographs circulated online showing El-Rufai meeting visitors during the period designated for the consultation. The commission also cited a social media post by political associate Isa Ashiru Kudan, stating that a meeting with the former governor had just concluded.
The agency alleged that the circumstances surrounding the visit raised concerns about compliance with the arrangements under which the medical consultation had been approved.
The ICPC subsequently announced that Professor Abubakar had been taken into custody for further investigation.
The development generated controversy over the relationship between the disputed medical report, the consultation and El-Rufai’s attempt to secure bail on health grounds.
On July 20, the commission filed a four-count charge against the physician, accusing him of allegedly issuing a false medical report intended to mislead a public officer and support the former governor’s bail application.
The charges included allegations of providing false information and using his professional position to confer an improper advantage. The prosecution also alleged that the report was prepared knowing its contents to be false.
The allegations against Abubakar are separate from the corruption charges against El-Rufai, although the prosecution links the disputed report to the former governor’s bail application.
The doctor’s case remains subject to judicial determination, and the allegations against him should not be treated as established facts.
Ashiru’s presence and the political context
Ashiru’s appearance alongside El-Rufai at Tuesday’s hearing comes against the backdrop of the former governor’s continued legal battles and the wider political environment in Kaduna State.
As the ADC governorship candidate in the state, Ashiru is a prominent opposition figure. His decision to accompany El-Rufai to court places the two politicians together at a time when the former governor is facing multiple proceedings over alleged financial misconduct.
The ICPC had previously referred to Ashiru Kudan in its account of the July medical visit, alleging that a social media post and photographs indicated that a meeting had taken place during the period intended for El-Rufai’s consultation with his physician.
That earlier episode is distinct from Tuesday’s court appearance, during which Ashiru accompanied the former governor to the Kaduna State High Court.
Ashiru’s presence at the court does not, in itself, establish any position on the merits of the charges before the judge, nor does it determine the outcome of the ongoing proceedings.
The court is expected to consider the case on the basis of the evidence, submissions of counsel and applicable law.
What Tuesday’s hearing means
Tuesday’s proceedings follow a series of adjournments and legal applications that have delayed the progress of the case.
Justice Khobo’s directive that the ICPC produce El-Rufai followed Monday’s absence and the information that he had requested access to his personal physician to review medical test results.
The immediate issue is the continuation of proceedings in the state high court, while the broader legal disputes surrounding the former governor’s detention, bail applications and separate criminal charges remain unresolved.
The Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his bail appeal has left the state high court’s refusal of bail in place. His earlier bail order from the Federal High Court does not automatically override the separate state case.
Meanwhile, the dispute over the medical report and the prosecution of his physician remain separate legal matters that must be determined through their respective proceedings.
El-Rufai has denied wrongdoing in the cases against him, and the charges remain allegations until established in court.
For now, his appearance alongside Ashiru marks the latest development in a legal saga that has drawn attention to the former governor’s administration, the ICPC’s investigations and the continuing court proceedings over alleged financial misconduct.
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