…As co-defendant fails to show up

The trial of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, suffered a setback on Monday after two co-defendants failed to appear before a Federal High Court in Kaduna.El-Rufai, who is facing charges of alleged abuse of office, fraud, and financial misconduct filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), was present in court for the proceedings.

The former governor arrived at the court alongside officials of the ICPC, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), and police personnel. However, the court was unable to proceed with the matter due to the absence of the two defendants charged alongside him, prompting the judge to adjourn the case.

Following the development, the court fixed June 28, 2026, for the continuation of the trial. El-Rufai has consistently denied all allegations against him, while prosecutors maintain that public funds were improperly released for projects allegedly not executed or irregularly managed during his tenure as governor.