The Federal High Court in Kaduna has adjourned hearing on the bail application by the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, to March 31st.
The adjournment followed proceedings on Tuesday where both the defence and prosecution counsels presented arguments on whether the ex-governor should be granted bail or not.
Counsel to the defendant, Ukpon Akpan, urged the court to release his client, citing his constitutional right to liberty and the need to adequately prepare for his trial.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, insisting that the weight of the evidence against el-Rufai requires caution.
The prosecution argued further that granting bail at this stage could affect on-going investigations, adding that witnesses could be hurt.
The case stems from charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), which is prosecuting el-Rufai over alleged financial misconduct.
According to the commission, the former governor is facing charges bordering on conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
He is being tried along with one Joel Adoga in a suit before the Federal High Court.
In addition, the ICPC disclosed that a separate charge has been filed at a Kaduna State High Court against el-Rufai and another defendant, Amadu Sule.
The charge included alleged abuse of office, fraud, and conferring undue advantage to himself and his cronies while in office.
According to the charge sheet dated March 18, 2026, the ICPC accused el-Rufai of unlawfully taking possession of N289.8 million as severance allowance on two occasions in September 2020 and January 2023, bringing the total to about N579 million, far above the legally entitled sum of about N20 million.
The commission alleged that the former governor reasonably ought to have known that the funds formed part of the proceeds of unlawful acts, including corruption, thereby violating provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in September, 2020 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor o f Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of N289,826,998.12 (Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Twelve Kobo) as severance allowance over and above your legitimately entitled sum of N20,013,245.00 (Twenty Million, Thirteen Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-Five Naira) which represents 300 per cent of your annual basic salary which you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
“That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in January 2023 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of N289,826,998.12. (Two Hundred and Eighty-Nine Million, Eight Hundred and Twenty-Six Thousand, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Eight Naira, Twelve Kobo) as severance allowance over and above your legitimately entitled sum of N20,013,245.00 (Twenty Million, Thirteen Thousand, Two Hundred and Forty-Five Naira) which represents 300 per cent of your annual basic salary…,”
Prosecutors also alleged illicit foreign transfers, conspiracy to conceal funds.
In separate counts, the ICPC further alleged that el-Rufai received multiple foreign currency payments into his Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account from different individuals.
The prosecution claimed that between September 2017 and March 2023, he took control of $320,800 allegedly paid in tranches by one Joel Adoga.
Count 3 read “That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime between September, 2017 and March, 2023 or thereabout at Kaduna and Abuja respectively, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State, directly took control of the total sum of $320,800 (Three Hundred and Twenty Thousand, Eight Hundred Dollars) deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account number: 0023824985 in different tranches by one Joel Adoga, when you reasonably ought to have known that such funds formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) o f the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
The charge (count 4,5, 6,7, 8 and 9) also accused El-Rufai of receiving $155,800 from one Peter Akagu Jones, $305,300 from one Ajayi Ayodele, and smaller sums including $5,000, $4,000 and $10,000 from other individuals, all of whom are said to be at large.
“That you MALLAM NASIR AHMAD EL-RUFAI (M) sometime in May, 2022 or thereabout at Kaduna, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being a public officer as the elected Executive Governor of Kaduna State, directly took possession of the sum of $305,300 (Three Hundred and Five Thousand, Three Hundred Dollars) deposited into your Guaranty Trust Bank (domiciliary) account number: 0023824985 by one Ajayi Ayodele (now at large), when you reasonably ought to have known that such fund formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful act, to wit: corruption and fraud and you thereby committed an offence contrary t o Section 18(2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022,” Count 5 read.
In Count 10, the commission alleged that el-Rufai and Adoga conspired in July 2019 in Abuja to disguise the origin of $10,000 deposited into the former governor’s domiciliary account, an act said to contravene provisions of the Money Laundering Act.
The offences, it noted, were punishable under Sections 18 and 21 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The anti-graft agency stated that both cases were filed on March 18th, adding that the former governor had been duly served in line with legal procedures.
el-Rufai’s arraignment follows weeks of legal and public scrutiny.
The former governor was initially arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16th, 2026, granted bail two days later, and subsequently re-arrested by the ICPC.
He has remained in custody since then.
