Proceedings in the ongoing corruption trial of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai continued on Monday at the Federal High Court sitting in the state capital.

El-Rufai was brought to the court at about 9:30 a.m., accompanied by officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force.

The case, brought by the ICPC, involves allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and financial misconduct during his tenure as governor.

Prosecutors allege that funds were improperly released for projects that were either not executed or were irregularly managed.

El-Rufai has denied all the charges and maintains his innocence.

At yesterday’s sitting, the court is expected to continue hearing motions and arguments from both the prosecution and defence as the case progresses.

On April 14, 2026, the presiding judge, Justice Rilwan Aikawa, granted the former governor bail in the sum of ₦200 million, with conditions including two sureties — one being a serving or retired civil servant in Grade Level 15, and the other a recognised traditional ruler.

While El-Rufai’s lawyers applied to the court for the variation of the bail conditions, a Kaduna State High Court presided over by Justice Darius Khobo repeatedly denied him bail, citing concerns that his influence could interfere with investigations into serious corruption allegations brought by the ICPC.

Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, sitting in Apo, Abuja, on Monday, June 15, 2026, dismissed an application filed by counsel to a former Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Sadiya Umar Farouq, seeking to set aside the bench warrant and warrant of arrest issued against her.

Farouq, alongside two others — Bashir Nura Alkali and Sani Nafiu Mohammed — is to face prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged criminal conspiracy, abuse of office, and diversion of public funds amounting to $1.3 million and N746.7 million.

Delivering his ruling on Monday, the judge held that the defendant had willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason, maintaining that the law empowers the court to issue a bench warrant once it is established that a defendant is absent without justification.

“The defendant, who is fully aware that this is a criminal proceeding, has willfully failed to appear in court without a valid reason, and the law empowers the court, when it has been ascertained that the defendant is absent without a valid reason, to issue a bench warrant of arrest. There is nothing in the exhibit explaining why the defendant, who has mere arthritis and heart disease, cannot appear before the court. Is it that there are no medical facilities in Nigeria? I am convinced that the 1st defendant is trying to hide behind her fingers by raising bogus excuses. It is important that the applicant be reminded that this is a criminal matter and not a civil one, and there is an approach to its proceedings. By all legal considerations, I am of the opinion that there is no merit in this application. I so hold,” he said.

Reacting to the ruling, counsel to the prosecution, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, commended the judge for what he described as a well-considered ruling. He further reminded the court of the undertaking by defence counsel, A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, to produce the first defendant, urging the court to enforce the undertaking.

“My Lord, for a senior counsel to make an undertaking which is reflected in Your Lordship’s ruling, we crave that Your Lordship give effect to that undertaking by A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, to produce the defendant. If you look at the so-called medical report attached, it only requested a period of six to eight weeks, within which the defendant would not be arrested, and the eight weeks expired on June 9, 2026. I plead with Your Lordship that the court should not take the undertaking for granted. On our part, we have decided to give effect to the arrest of the first defendant, and we also ask counsel to the first defendant to cooperate and produce his client at the next adjournment to avoid coercive measures,” he said.

Responding, A.M. Lawal, who stood in for A.A. Ibrahim, SAN, urged the judge to allow Ibrahim to be present in court to respond to the EFCC’s application regarding the undertaking.

Justice Onwuegbuzie granted the request, stating that Ibrahim should be allowed to appear in court to defend himself on the issue of the undertaking.

The matter was adjourned to July 2, 2026, for arraignment.

The trial of a former governor of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, and a former Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the state, Bello Yero, continued on Monday, June 15, 2026, before Justice S.C. Oriji of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with the Third Prosecution Witness, PW3, Taiwo Johns, informing the court that money from local governments in the state was paid into his private account on the instruction of Yero and other officials of the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs for disbursement.

He further informed the court that he usually withdrew the money in cash.

Ishaku, the first defendant, is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Yero, on a 15-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, and conversion of public funds amounting to N27 billion.

Speaking on how the EFCC invited him and traced the alleged funds to the account of his company, P3 International Account, the witness stated that he had used the company account to manage his farming business before joining the civil service as an Assistant Cashier in the state’s Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

He further disclosed that John Columba, former Chief Cashier; Babangida Hassan, former Director of Finance; and former Permanent Secretary, Bello Yero, instructed him, in the course of his duties, to provide his account details and await instructions on how to disburse any funds paid into the account.

“They asked me to submit my account number so that some money could be sent to me and instructed me to await further directions on what to do with the money. A few days later, some money was sent to the account by the local government. When the money entered my account, I reported to my chief cashier, John Columba, before reporting to Babangida Hassan, who in turn reported to Bello Yero before I was directed on where to pay the money,” he said.

When asked by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, how he disbursed the funds, the witness stated:

“Sometimes, when money comes into the account, I withdraw it or leave it in the bank and wait for further instruction. At times, I am given an account number into which the money should be paid, while on some occasions, Lawal, P.A. to His Excellency, comes and I hand the money over to him.”

He further testified that:

“Sometimes the instruction is given by the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Yero, the second defendant; the Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan; and sometimes by the cashier of the local government who lodges the money into my account, after which I report to my immediate boss.”

He also informed the court that he was often given account numbers for the disbursement of funds. He disclosed that N3 million from funds received from a local government on November 20, 2017, was paid to the Second Prosecution Witness, PW2, Prince Onwuzuruike, alongside an additional N2,250,000, bringing the total amount paid to N5,250,000 in one day, based on instructions.

He further disclosed that he received N7,750,000 on February 6, 2018, and was instructed to transfer N6,250,000 to Onwuzuruike.

According to him, on April 11, 2018, Columba, the Chief Cashier of the local government, paid sums of N5 million, N1.7 million, and N1.8 million into his account, respectively, and that a cash withdrawal was made on April 16, 2018, based on the instruction of the Director of Finance, Babangida Hassan.

He further testified that he received a credit of N4,767,386.41 on April 26, 2018, and on the same date, transferred N4,780,000 and N3,220,000 to Prince Onwuzuruike. He added that there were further cash deposits of N5,650,000 and N4,500,000 on April 27, 2018, with instructions to transfer N4,780,000 and N3,370,000 to Onwuzuruike.

Justice Oriji adjourned the matter until July 7, 2026, for continuation of trial.