Former Nasir El-Rufai arrived on Wednesday morning at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the continuation of the hearing of his bail application.
The ex-governor was driven into the court premises at around 9:00 a.m. and stepped out at approximately 9:05 a.m., drawing the attention of security operatives and a few nearby observers.
Security was visibly tightened around the court complex, with armed personnel deployed both inside and outside the premises to maintain order. As proceedings resumed, journalists were reportedly barred from entering the courtroom as security officials enforced strict access controls.
The resumed hearing followed Tuesday’s session, which was stalled after a series of legal maneuvers by the defense team introduced fresh twists to the case. During the earlier proceedings, the defense filed a motion urging the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself over alleged bias and a pending petition.
The application, which challenged the court’s impartiality, was strongly opposed by the prosecution. However, in a dramatic reversal, the defense later filed another motion seeking to withdraw its request for the judge to step aside.
The conflicting applications led to heated legal exchanges between both parties, causing procedural delays that stalled the bail hearing. The situation worsened when the prosecution filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail request, leaving the defense with limited time to review and respond.
In view of the developments, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to Wednesday the continue the hearing.
