The Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday declined to hear the bail application submitted by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing the request as premature and adjourning the matter to April 23, 2026.
Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik, who presided over the session, ruled that the court could not consider the bail application until El-Rufai is formally arraigned.
A lawyer present in court told SaharaReporters that the judge refused to allow El-Rufai’s counsel to argue the bail motion during the proceedings. According to the source, the court held that the application was not ripe for consideration, stressing that the defendant must first be properly arraigned before any bail request could be entertained.
El-Rufai was absent from court, as he remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC). Several leaders of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Bolaji Abdullahi, attended the court session to monitor developments.
The ruling adds another layer to the growing legal challenges confronting the former governor and federal anti-corruption agencies.
Earlier, El-Rufai had instituted a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC and three other parties, accusing them of unlawfully invading his Abuja residence. The suit, filed on February 20, 2026, before the Federal High Court in Abuja, named the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
Court documents filed by his lawyer, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, alleged that ICPC operatives, alongside police officers, raided his residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19, 2026, based on what they described as a flawed search warrant. The legal team argued that the warrant was defective, citing vague descriptions of items to be seized and several typographical and material errors that, in their view, invalidated the document.
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There have also been complaints from El-Rufai’s camp over his continued detention and alleged conditions of custody. His media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, previously claimed that the former governor suffered a nosebleed while in detention and was prevented from directly receiving meals brought by family members. He further alleged that El-Rufai was transferred overnight from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the ICPC without prior notification to his lawyers or relatives.
The legal team has insisted that no valid remand order has been produced to justify his prolonged detention, arguing that his confinement violates constitutional provisions. Attempts to secure his release on bail have, however, not succeeded.
Following Wednesday’s ruling, the court is expected to formally arraign El-Rufai on April 23, as the legal standoff between the former governor and federal anti-graft agencies continues to intensify.