Former Nasir El-Rufai arrived on Wednesday morning at the Federal High Court, Kaduna for the resumed hearing of his bail application.
El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, was driven into the court premises at about 9:00 a.m. but stepped out of the vehicle conveying him at exactly 9:05 a.m., drawing the attention of security operatives and a handful of observers within the vicinity.
The resumed hearing follows Tuesday’s proceedings, which were stalled after a series of legal manoeuvres by the defence team introduced fresh twists to the case.
During the earlier session, the defence filed a motion requesting the presiding judge, Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself from the matter over alleged bias and a pending petition. The application questioned the impartiality of the court and immediately drew reactions from the prosecution.
However, in a dramatic reversal, the defence later filed another motion seeking to withdraw its earlier request asking the judge to step aside from the case.
The conflicting applications triggered a series of legal exchanges between counsel representing both parties. This created procedural delays that eventually stalled the hearing of the bail application.
The situation became more complicated when the prosecution submitted a counter-affidavit opposing the bail request. The development left the defence with limited time to review and respond to the new filings.
Following the arguments and procedural developments, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to Wednesday for the continuation of the hearing on the bail application.
Meanwhile, security remained tight at the court premises. Armed operatives were strategically stationed within and around the complex, restricting movement and monitoring activities closely.
Journalists were also barred from accessing the courtroom as security personnel enforced strict entry controls during the proceedings.
