Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has arrived at the Kaduna State High Court for the continuation of his alleged corruption trial instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
El-Rufai arrived at about 11:59 a.m. on Tuesday, accompanied by African Democratic Congress governorship candidate Isah Ashiru, amid tight security.
His appearance followed an order by the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, directing the ICPC to produce him in court for the resumed hearing.
The case was adjourned on Monday after El-Rufai was absent following information that he had requested to consult his personal doctor over medical test results. The proceedings were also affected by a defence request for an adjournment to attend the swearing-in ceremony of new Senior Advocates of Nigeria.
Tuesday’s hearing is expected to advance the substantive trial over alleged corruption and other financial offences linked to transactions and decisions during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023.
The resumed proceedings come days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed his appeal challenging the refusal of bail by the state high court.
In its October 9 judgment, a three-member panel held that El-Rufai had failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting interference with the lower court’s decision.
The appellate court upheld the high court’s June 10 refusal of his second bail application and dismissed the appeal for lacking merit.
El-Rufai, who has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, had argued through his lawyers that continued detention was affecting his ability to prepare his defence and access lawyers and witnesses. The ICPC opposed the appeal, maintaining that the trial court had exercised its discretion appropriately.