Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has lost his attempt to have the bail conditions imposed on him by the Federal High Court in Abuja relaxed, after the court ruled that the terms remain valid and enforceable.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, presiding over the matter on Tuesday, dismissed an application filed by El-Rufai seeking a variation of the bail conditions earlier granted in the ongoing trial. The former governor, through his counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, had argued that the conditions were excessively stringent, describing them as “harsh, outlandish and difficult to meet”.
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Among the contested requirements were provisions that the sureties must be Level 17 civil servants with property in high-security districts such as Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja, as well as the submission of verification and attestation letters from the Kaduna State traditional council.
El-Rufai’s legal team maintained that the conditions were unrealistic and placed undue burden on the defendant, effectively restricting his ability to meet bail requirements. However, the prosecution, led by Oluwole Aladedoye, SAN, opposed the application, insisting that individuals who satisfy the criteria do exist within the Nigerian civil service and that the court should not interfere with its earlier ruling.
In her decision, Justice Abdulmalik held that the defence had not provided sufficient justification to warrant a relaxation of the bail terms. She further noted that credible civil servants capable of meeting the conditions could be found, thereby affirming the original bail structure.
In a separate development during Tuesday’s proceedings, the Department of State Services Department of State Services concluded its case against the former governor in the ongoing alleged wiretapping trial before the Federal High Court. The prosecution informed the court that it would not be calling further witnesses, effectively closing its case.
Following this, defence counsel Paul Erokoro, SAN, informed the court of the intention to file a no-case submission, arguing that the prosecution had failed to establish sufficient evidence linking El-Rufai to the allegations. The defence requested two weeks to file its application, while the prosecution similarly requested time to respond.
Justice Abdulmalik subsequently fixed September 22 for hearing the no-case submission and continuation of proceedings.
The case continues to attract significant public and legal attention, particularly given El-Rufai’s prominence in Nigerian politics and the nature of the allegations, which centre on alleged unlawful surveillance activities. His legal team maintains that the prosecution’s case lacks substantive evidential backing, while prosecutors insist that sufficient grounds exist for the trial to proceed.
As the matter moves towards the next hearing date, the court is expected to consider whether the evidence presented so far is enough to warrant the continuation of the trial or whether it should be dismissed at this stage.
