Court Denies El-Rufai Bail, Adjourns to April 23

On Wednesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja declined to hear the bail application of former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, stating that the application was premature. The court, presided over by Justice Joyc Abdulmalik, noted that El-Rufai had not yet been formally arraigned and that the Department of State Services (DSS) needed to coordinate with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) regarding the case.

The court adjourned the proceedings until April 23 to allow this liaison. The prosecution, led by Oluwol Aladeloy SAN, informed the court that El-Rufai was not in custody, while defense counsel Oluwol Iyamu SAN argued that the bail application should be considered.

The DSS has filed three counts against El-Rufai, accusing him of unlawfully intercepting telephone communications and breaching the Nigerian Communications Act of 2003, with implications for national security as advised by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu.