El-Rufai Remains in Custody as Court Sets Bail Ruling Date

Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, is set to remain in custody as a court has fixed April 14 for a ruling on his bail application. El-Rufai is facing ten counts of corruption, which were instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

He was previously held in ICPC custody from February 19 until his temporary release on March 28, following the death of his mother in Cairo, Egypt. His defense counsel expressed optimism about the outcome of the bail application, asserting that they have properly presented their case to the court.

El-Rufai is expected to appear in Abuja on April 10 for a separate case filed by the Department of State Services (DSS). The prosecution's legal team is fully prepared for the upcoming hearing.

Meanwhile, security has been heightened around the Kaduna court complex to maintain order amid growing public interest in the case, with journalists earlier denied access to the courtroom and traffic restrictions causing congestion in the area.