A Federal High Court in Kaduna has ordered that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, be returned to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) pending the hearing of his bail application on March 31.
El-Rufai was arraigned on Tuesday before the Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on a 10-count charge involving alleged conversion of public property and money laundering. The charges were filed by the ICPC, and the former governor pleaded not guilty to all of them.
Security operatives brought him to the court premises around 9:00 a.m. in a Hilux vehicle. He reportedly stayed inside the vehicle for about 30 minutes before being escorted into the courtroom, where security presence was noticeably tight both inside and outside the court complex.
His lawyer, Ukpon Akpan, urged the court to grant him bail so he could properly prepare for his defence. However, the prosecution counsel opposed the request, arguing that granting bail at this stage could affect ongoing investigations by the commission.
After hearing arguments from both sides, Justice Rilwanu Aikawa adjourned the case until March 31 to rule on the bail application.
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19, shortly after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
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