El-Rufai Trial Stalled as Co-Defendants Miss Court Hearing

The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna postponed proceedings in the case against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Monday after two individuals standing trial alongside him did not show up in court. Presiding Judge Justice Rilwanu Aikawa ordered the matter rescheduled to June 24, 2026, to allow for continued hearing of prosecution allegations.

El-Rufai himself was present at the courthouse, arriving at 9:30 a.m. accompanied by officials from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, the Department of State Services, and Nigeria Police Force. The charges against the former governor centre on accusations of financial misconduct and abuse of office spanning his two-term administration from 2015 to 2023.

Prosecution witnesses are expected to present evidence of alleged irregularities in the management of public funds and project execution during that period. The repeated absence of co-defendants has already disrupted the trial timeline, with this latest adjournment marking another delay in bringing the matter to resolution.

In a parallel development, a coalition of women's groups operating under an umbrella organisation in Kaduna State issued a statement demanding an end to what they characterised as political persecution. The coalition, which includes the 100 Women Group Association of Kaduna State and other women's societies, raised concerns about what they described as a sustained campaign of intimidation targeting El-Rufai and his associates, including former Chief of Staff Bashir Saidu.

Conveners of the women's coalition signed the statement, which asserted that political disagreements should not lead to actions that undermine citizens' constitutional rights and freedoms. The next scheduled hearing date of June 24, 2026, represents a significant gap from the current proceedings.

The trial has become a focal point in discussions about accountability and governance in Kaduna State, where El-Rufai served as chief executive for eight years before the administration of Governor Uba Sani took office.