Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai has been returned to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), after a Federal High Court in Kaduna adjourned hearing on his bail application till Wednesday.
The adjournment followed fresh legal moves, including the prosecution filing a counter-affidavit opposing bail, giving both sides time to respond fully.
Proceedings took place under tight security amid high public interest in the case, with El-Rufai’s lead counsel, Ukpong Akpan, confirming the new date but declining further comments outside court.
During the session, the defence filed a motion seeking the recusal of presiding Judge Rilwan Aikawa over alleged bias and a pending petition, but later withdrew the application.
With the bail request still pending, the court ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody for now.
His return to detention comes shortly after the ICPC granted him temporary administrative release on compassionate grounds over the passing of his mother, Hajjiya Umma El-Rufai.
TVC News previously reported that El-Rufai returned to the State High Court in Kaduna after his mother’s burial.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) earlier released the former governor after his mother’s passing on Friday.
The passing of the former governor’s mother, Hajiya Umma, was announced on X by her grandson, Mohammed Bello El-Rufai, who shared a post on his X handle mourning her death around 4:40 p.m. on Friday.
