The Court of Appeal in Kaduna has rejected an appeal filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, challenging the state High Court’s decision to deny his fresh bail application.
A Certified True Copy of the judgment obtained by our correspondent on Friday showed that a three-member panel of the appellate court unanimously dismissed the appeal in a ruling delivered on Thursday. The panel held that El-Rufai had failed to present new facts or exceptional circumstances that would justify overturning the lower court’s decision.
In the lead judgment, Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi upheld the Kaduna State High Court’s ruling of June 10, 2026, which rejected the former governor’s second application for bail.
El-Rufai, who served as governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, is facing prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over alleged financial offences linked to his administration.
The former governor has denied wrongdoing and challenged the circumstances surrounding his continued detention.
The Kaduna State High Court had earlier dismissed the bail application filed by the former governor and ordered an accelerated hearing in the matter.
Dissatisfied with the decision, El-Rufai approached the appellate court.
The appellate court held that the lower court acted within its judicial discretion in refusing bail, noting that the decision was properly based on the affidavit evidence presented by both parties.
“There is no merit in this appeal; it fails and is hereby dismissed. The ruling of the lower court delivered on 10/6/2026 is hereby affirmed,” Otisi held.
The appellate court considered the prosecution’s argument that some of El-Rufai’s public remarks during a televised interview raised concerns about possible interference with the course of justice.
The prosecution had told the court that El-Rufai made public remarks about defending his political legacy against those seeking to criminalise him.
It also alleged that he admitted during an Arise Television interview on April 26, 2026, to wiretapping the telephone line of the National Security Adviser.
According to the judgment, El-Rufai acknowledged participating in the interview and noted that he was being tried in a separate case relating to the subject matter.
However, the appellate court stressed that its decision did not amount to a finding of guilt, noting that the former governor remained presumed innocent until proven guilty.
“Now, without doubt, by unequivocal constitutional provisions, the appellant is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Otisi stated.
He added that the trial court’s evaluation of the affidavit evidence concerning the potential interference with justice did not constitute a pronouncement of guilt.
The court also considered El-Rufai’s argument that his voluntary return to custody after attending his late mother’s burial demonstrated that he was not a flight risk.
The former governor had submitted that his release to attend the burial and subsequent return to custody constituted compelling grounds for granting bail.
However, the prosecution maintained that he was accompanied and closely monitored by security agents throughout the burial period.
The appellate court noted that photographs allegedly showing El-Rufai attending the funeral prayers at the National Mosque in Abuja were referenced in his affidavit but were not attached to the application before the trial court.
Otisi said the trial judge could not speculate on what the unattached photographs would have shown.
“Courts are not allowed to act on speculations or conjecture to reach a decision, more so in our criminal jurisprudence,” he said.
The court consequently upheld the lower court’s conclusion that El-Rufai had not established that his return to custody was entirely voluntary or that the circumstances justified a different bail decision.
It also upheld the order for an accelerated hearing of the criminal trial, with proceedings to be conducted on a day-to-day basis as far as practicable while El-Rufai remained in the custody of the ICPC.
The appellate court noted that no evidence had been presented to show that the prosecution had failed to pursue the case diligently.
Otisi added that El-Rufai could return to the trial court to seek further consideration of his bail application if the prosecution failed to prosecute the case diligently.
In a concurring judgment, Justice Abimbola Obaseki-Adejumo agreed that the former governor had not presented fresh and compelling facts to justify a different outcome.
“Nothing had changed; therefore, I am unable to agree that a miscarriage of justice had occurred,” she held.
Justice Lateef Ganiyu also concurred with the lead judgment, holding that the failure to attach documents relied upon in the bail application worked against the appellant’s case.
In March 2026, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) took former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai into custody following an investigation into alleged financial infractions and procurement irregularities during his tenure from 2015 to 2023.