The Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna on Tuesday adjourned the hearing of the bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, to March 31, prolonging his stay in custody over alleged corruption charges.
El-Rufai was arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission on allegations bordering on conversion of public property and money laundering.
The former governor was brought to court under tight security at about 9:00 a.m., arriving in a Hilux vehicle.
He remained in the vehicle for about 25 minutes before being escorted into the courtroom amid the presence of heavily armed operatives stationed within and around the court premises.
At the resumed proceedings, his counsel, Ukpon Akpan, urged the court to grant his client bail to enable him adequately prepare his defence.
However, the prosecution opposed the application, arguing that granting bail at this stage could interfere with ongoing investigations.
Following arguments from both parties, the trial judge adjourned the matter till March 31 for ruling on the bail application.
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the anti-graft agency since February 19 after he was handed over by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
His continued detention has sparked public debate, with various groups calling either for his immediate release or formal arraignment in court.
Sources familiar with the investigation disclosed that while in custody, the former governor declined to respond to questions from investigators, invoking his constitutional right to remain silent.
Earlier, on March 5, a magistrate court had extended his initial remand order by 14 days, further deepening the legal battle surrounding the high-profile case.
In a related development, El-Rufai has instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit before a Federal High Court in Abuja, challenging the legality of the search conducted on his residence as well as the circumstances surrounding his remand.
The case continues to draw national attention as legal fireworks intensify over the fate of the former governor.
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