El-Rufai's Bail Hearing Faces Delays in Kaduna Court

On Wednesday morning, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna at 9:00 AM for the continuation of his bail application hearing. He was driven to the court premises, attracting attention from security personnel, who had visibly tightened security around the area.

The hearing had previously stalled due to serious legal maneuvers from the defense team, which introduced a fresh twist by filing a motion urging the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself from the matter, alleging bias.

This development drew immediate opposition from the prosecution. Subsequently, the defense team filed a motion to withdraw its earlier request for the judge to step aside, which triggered a flurry of legal exchanges between counsel for both parties.

The situation was further complicated when the prosecution presented a counter affidavit opposing the bail request, leaving the defense limited time to respond to the new developments. Justice Aikawa ultimately adjourned the matter to continue the hearing on Wednesday.