Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, appeared at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Wednesday for the continuation of proceedings on his bail application amid heightened security.
He arrived at the court premises around 9:00 a.m. and stepped out minutes later, drawing the attention of security operatives and a few observers nearby.
Security presence was significantly reinforced, with armed personnel deployed within and around the court complex to maintain order. Journalists were, however, denied access to the courtroom as officials enforced strict entry restrictions during the proceedings.
The hearing follows Tuesday’s session, which was disrupted by a series of legal maneuvers from the defence team that introduced new developments to the case.
At the previous sitting, the defence filed a motion asking the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself over alleged bias and a pending petition. The prosecution opposed the request.
In a dramatic turnaround, the defence later submitted another application seeking to withdraw its earlier request for the judge to step aside. The conflicting motions triggered heated exchanges between both parties, leading to delays that stalled the bail hearing.
The situation was further complicated when the prosecution filed a counter-affidavit opposing the bail request, leaving the defence with limited time to study and respond.
Justice Aikawa subsequently adjourned the case to Wednesday for the continuation of the hearing.
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