Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Tuesday arraigned amid tight security, before the Federal High Court in Kaduna by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai appeared before Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, where proceedings focused on a multi-count charge filed against him by the anti-graft agency.
Addressing journalists after the session, counsel to the former governor, Ubong Akpan, said the charges largely revolve around alleged deposits into his client’s domiciliary account and the monetisation of his earnings.
“Out of 10 counts, they joined him on only one,” Akpan stated, noting that the defence raised objections to the arraignment on the grounds of a pending issue involving the presiding judge.
He, however, said the court proceeded with the arraignment and adjourned the matter to March 31, 2026, to hear pending applications, including a request for bail.
Akpan clarified that no bail application was moved during Tuesday’s proceedings.
“It cannot be made for bail today because the application was made for arraignment today… The matter was adjourned to the 31st of this month to hear the bail application,” he explained.
The prosecution team from the ICPC declined to comment after the court session.
A day earlier, the commission had announced plans to arraign El-Rufai alongside one Joel Adoga in a suit marked FHC/KD/73/2026 before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.