Court Of Appeal Upholds El-Rufai’s Bail Denial
The development comes days after Justice Darious Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court rejected El-Rufai’s bail and recusal applications.
El-Rufai was Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023.
The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed an appeal filed before it by the former Governor of the state, Nasir El-Rufai, challenging the decision of the Kaduna State High Court to deny him bail.
Delivering its judgment in Appeal Number CA/K/254C/2026, the Appellate Court affirmed the ruling of the lower court, holding that the trial Judge exercised his discretion judicially and judiciously, with no miscarriage of justice.
In a unanimous judgment, the three-member appellate panel held that El-Rufai failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting interference with the lower court’s decision to deny him bail.
According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment, the lead judgment delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which refused the former governor’s second bail application on June 10, 2026.
The Court also struck out the appellant’s reply brief filed on September 29, describing it as incompetent, while resolving the sole issue for determination against El-Rufai and in favour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The Appellate Court held that it would not interfere with findings of fact by a trial court where such findings had not been shown to be perverse, consequently dismissing the appeal for lack of merit.
The substantive trial has been scheduled to commence on October 12, 2026.
The development comes days after Justice Darious Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court rejected El-Rufai’s bail and recusal applications.
El-Rufai has spent nearly eight months in detention, having been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February 18, 2026.
