Court of Appeal Dismisses El-Rufai’s Bail Appeal

The Court of Appeal in Kaduna has dismissed former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai's bail appeal, upholding the decision of the Kaduna State High Court that denied his bail application. In its judgment delivered on Thursday, October 8, 2026, the appellate court declared that the trial court had exercised its discretion judicially and judiciously in rejecting El-Rufai's bail request.

The court determined that El-Rufai's appeal was without merit and found no miscarriage of justice in the trial Judge's decision. Additionally, the appellate court discovered flaws in the affidavit El-Rufai submitted to seek bail, stating that the lower court's findings provided insufficient grounds for any appellate intervention.

During the proceedings, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, argued that El-Rufai had previously submitted three bail applications to the trial court, all of which were rejected. The prosecution contended that El-Rufai had not presented sufficient grounds to overturn the trial court's decision.

However, El-Rufai's Counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, contended that the charges against his client were bailable and that his detention could hinder his capacity to mount a robust defense. By dismissing the appeal, the Court of Appeal affirmed the lower court's ruling, effectively maintaining the refusal of bail pending further proceedings.

This decision adds to the judicial proceedings surrounding the former Governor in connection with alleged financial offenses related to his tenure. The substantive trial is set to begin on October 12, 2026, and El-Rufai maintains his innocence, with the allegations pending judicial resolution.