The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, setting the amount at N100 million with one surety in the same sum. Justice Joyce AbdulMalik delivered the ruling on Monday, May 17, 2026, imposing several stringent conditions that must be fulfilled before the bail can be perfected.
Bail Conditions and Surety Requirements
The court ruled that the surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry. Additionally, the surety is required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of a bank within the court's jurisdiction.
Furthermore, the surety must depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry. As part of the bail conditions, El-Rufai himself must deposit all valid international passports with the court registry.
Verification and Reporting Obligations
The court directed that a verification letter from the surety's immediate department, along with a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months, be submitted. Justice AbdulMalik also ordered El-Rufai to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.
The judge warned the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain that failure to comply with any of the conditions would result in an automatic revocation of his bail. Additionally, the court directed the defendant to submit a letter of attestation from the chairperson of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
Background of the Case
El-Rufai is currently being held in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Abuja over allegations of financial misconduct, including money laundering, abuse of office, and misappropriation of public funds during his tenure as governor.
Justice AbdulMalik's ruling comes amid calls from opposition figures for El-Rufai's release. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar had earlier condemned the former governor's continued detention, describing it as a disturbing assault on civil liberties and the rule of law. Atiku urged the federal government to be magnanimous in the spirit of the upcoming Eid celebrations.
