Just In: Court Grants El-Rufai N100m Bail, Orders Periodic Reporting To DSS

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million, subject to stringent conditions imposed by the court.

Delivering the ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered the former governor to provide one surety in like sum, with the guarantor required to meet strict eligibility conditions.

According to the court, the surety must reside in Abuja’s upscale Maitama or Asokoro districts and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.

The court further directed that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide verifiable evidence of salary payments for at least three months.

Justice Abdulmalik also ordered that all submitted documents be authenticated through a letter from the surety’s bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.

In addition, the surety is to depose to an affidavit of means, execute a bail bond, and submit a recent passport photograph alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

As part of the bail terms, El-Rufai was ordered to surrender all valid international passports to the court, effectively restricting him from travelling outside Nigeria pending the determination of the case.

The court also directed the former governor to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register.

Justice Abdulmalik warned that any breach of the conditions would lead to the automatic revocation of the bail.

The judge further directed El-Rufai to present a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council, a requirement seen as extending accountability beyond legal institutions to traditional authority structures.