The Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, on Wednesday refused to entertain the bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing the request as premature and adjourning the matter until April 23, 2026.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik.
A lawyer who witnessed the proceedings disclosed that the court declined to allow El-Rufai’s legal team to move the bail application during Wednesday’s sitting.
“On the El-Rufai case, the court denied his counsel the right to move for his bail application just now. He stated the bail application is immature and he adjourned the case to the 23rd of April 2026 to arraign El-Rufai properly before the court,” SaharaReporters quoted the lawyer as stating.
The decision means the former governor will remain in custody pending his formal arraignment.
El-Rufai was not present in court during the proceedings as he remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission.
JomogNews reports that some chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Bolaji Abdullahi, were in court to observe the proceedings.
The development marks the latest twist in the escalating legal battles between the former governor and federal anti-corruption agencies.
Prior to Wednesday’s proceedings, El-Rufai had filed a ₦1bn fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC and three other respondents, alleging unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.
The suit, filed on February 20, 2026, before the Federal High Court in Abuja with case number FHC/ABJ/CS/345/2026, listed the ICPC, the Chief Magistrate of the FCT Magistrate Court, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Attorney-General of the Federation as respondents.
According to court filings by his counsel, Oluwole Iyamu, SAN, operatives of the ICPC, accompanied by police officers, allegedly stormed El-Rufai’s residence at House 12, Mambilla Street, Aso Drive, Abuja, on February 19, 2026.
The legal team contended that the operation was based on what it described as a defective search warrant.
They argued that the warrant lacked specificity regarding the items to be seized and contained typographical and material errors, which they said rendered it invalid.
Concerns have also been raised by El-Rufai’s camp over his continued detention and alleged treatment while in custody.
His media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, had alleged that the former governor suffered a nosebleed during detention and was denied direct access to meals brought by family members.
The aide further claimed that El-Rufai was moved overnight from the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to the ICPC without prior notice to his lawyers or family.
El-Rufai’s legal team has maintained that no valid remand order has been presented to justify his continued detention beyond constitutionally permitted limits. Efforts to secure his bail, they said, have so far remained unsuccessful.
JomogNews reports that with Wednesday’s ruling, the court is expected to formally arraign the former governor when proceedings resume on April 23, 2026.
