•Court postpones bail hearing as ex-gov returns to ICPC custody
Former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, yesterday, withdrew his fundamental rights enforcement suit against a Chief Magistrate at the FCT Magistrate’s Court, named as the 2nd defendant, in the N1 billion case.

Ugochukwu Nnakwu, who appeared for the ex-governor, informed Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja, shortly after the case was called to hear his motion exparte.

The withdrawal followed Justice Abdulmalik’s observation, last Wednesday, when the matter was heard. The judge had picked holes in the suit for failure to specify the magistrate who was sued as 2nd defendant. Nnakwu then sought an adjournment to properly identify the magistrate.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, Nnakwu informed the court that the matter was scheduled for a hearing of their motion exparte for substituted service of all court documents on the 2nd defendant (magistrate).

He, however, said a motion to withdraw the suit against the 2nd defendant had been filed.

He said the motion, dated March 30, was filed on the same date.

Ezekiel Rimamsomte, who appeared for the police; Maimuna Shiru, who represented the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and Abdul Mohammed (SAN), counsel for Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), did not oppose the application.

Justice Abdulmalik, in a short ruling, consequently, struck out the magistrate’s name from the exparte motion.

Nnakwu then sought an adjournment to enable him to amend the suit.

But Mohammed disagreed, calling attention of the court to reliefs one, two and three in the former governor’s suit, noting that the prayers complained about the magistrate’s search warrant issued to the investigating agency.

The presiding judge, thereafter, adjourned the matter until June 17 at the instance of Nnakwu to enable him to file an amended process.

The Federal High Court in Kaduna, on its part, postponed the hearing of el-Rufai’s bail application today, prompting ICPC agents to remand him after yesterday’s proceedings.

The ICPC had released the ex-governor, who is facing corruption charges, from custody on Friday on compassionate grounds following his mother’s passing. The anti-graft agency arraigned him and his co-defendant on 10 corruption charges on March 24, 2026.

Trial judge, Justice Ridwan Aikawa, then set yesterday for the hearing of the defendants’ bail applications and ordered the two defendants to be remanded in ICPC custody pending the hearing.

However, on Friday, four days before the court’s return date, the ICPC chose to temporarily release the former governor so he could attend his mother’s funeral.

el-Rufai’s lawyer, Ukpong Akpan, confirmed that the bail hearing stalled, but declined to provide details.

Shortly after the court rose, the erstwhile governor was escorted by ICPC operatives.