Appeal Court dismisses El-Rufai’s Kaduna bail appeal

The Court of Appeal in Kaduna has dismissed Nasir El-Rufai’s challenge to the refusal of bail in his case before the Kaduna State High Court.

A three-member panel unanimously upheld the lower court’s June 10, 2026 decision on the former governor’s second bail application. The appellate court found that he had not presented fresh facts or special circumstances that justified overturning the ruling.

El-Rufai is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged financial offences arising from his administration. He denies wrongdoing. The bail decision is not a finding of guilt, and the court affirmed that he remains presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, held that the trial judge had properly exercised his discretion on the evidence before him. The court also struck out El-Rufai’s reply brief filed on September 29, describing it as incompetent.

The former governor argued that his return to custody after attending his late mother’s burial showed he was not a flight risk. The prosecution disputed that account, saying security agents accompanied and monitored him during the burial period.

Punch reported that photographs referred to in his affidavit had not been attached to the application before the trial court. The appellate court said the trial judge could not speculate about what the missing photographs would have shown.

The ruling follows the hearing at which the appeal court reserved its decision. NaijaTrend reported those arguments here.

The court upheld the order for an accelerated trial, to proceed day to day as far as practicable. It said El-Rufai could ask the trial court to reconsider bail if the prosecution failed to pursue the case diligently. Channels Television reported that the substantive trial was scheduled to begin on October 12.

Sources: Punch, Channels Television