
A Federal High Court in Kaduna has scheduled June 1, 2026, for the hearing of two pre-trial motions filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in a corruption case brought against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission ICPC. Justice Rilwanu Aikawa adjourned the matter after the former governor's counsel, Mustapha Abubakar SAN, indicated he was not ready to proceed immediately. El-Rufai faces allegations of financial misconduct, including the alleged release of billions of naira for unexecuted projects during his administration, which he denies. The court had previously, on April 14, granted El-Rufai bail for N200 million with two sureties. Bail conditions included one surety being a senior civil servant not below Grade Level 15 and the second a recognized elder in the state. The court also ordered the deposit of international passports and restricted El-Rufai from public comments on the case. On Thursday, Justice Aikawa denied a request to allow the first surety to provide a bank guarantee instead of a cash deposit but granted a variation allowing the second surety to be recognized by a district head instead of the Kaduna State Council of Elders. The defense also filed motions to strike out some documents attached to the charges. The anti-graft agency accuses El-Rufai of authorizing payments for projects allegedly not executed during his tenure.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe All Progressives Congress APC achieved a dominant performance in recent by-elections, securing wins in Ondo, Nasarawa, Kano, and Kebbi states. The Peoples Democratic Party PDP maintained its hold on the Rivers South-East Senatorial District seat. The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC announced the results, which strengthen the APC's legislative presence. However, some contests faced allegations of electoral irregularities, violence, and voter intimidation. In Nasarawa, APC candidate Danladi Halilu won the Nasarawa North Senatorial seat with 45,362 votes, defeating Labaran Maku of the Labour Party LP and Emmanuel Ombugadu of the PDP. Following the results, LP agents staged a walkout, and Maku, a former minister of Information, rejected the outcome, citing widespread irregularities and calling for the by-election's cancellation. He alleged non-adherence to electoral laws by INEC officials and issues with BVAS machine usage. The Nasarawa State APC Publicity Secretary, Augustine Ogaba, dismissed Maku's allegations, urging him to accept the electoral outcome. Rabiu Shuaibu of the APC secured a landslide victory in the Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency by-election in Kano. In Enugu North Senatorial District, Ikeje Asogwa of the APC was declared the winner with 162,360 votes, though this election was reportedly marred by violence, technical hitches, and ballot-box snatching. Prof Francis Faduyile, the APC candidate, won the Ondo South Senatorial District by-e
Opposition parties have criticized the conduct of Saturday's governorship election in Ekiti State and various by-elections, alleging widespread vote-buying, ballot irregularities, and administrative lapses by the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC. While acknowledging logistical improvements and the generally peaceful nature of the polls, parties raised concerns about electoral transparency. Osa Director, National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, noted the Ekiti election was violence-free but marred by vote-buying allegations and issues with voter card access, urging corrections before the 2027 General Elections. Rufus Aiyenigba, National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party SDP, also cited improved logistics but accused INEC of undermining confidence due to rampant vote-buying and the alleged exclusion of SDP party agents. The Labour Party expressed reservations about the Enugu North Senatorial District by-election, with National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa reporting both positive aspects, such as orderly conduct and satisfactory Bimodal Voter Accreditation System BVAS performance, and significant oversights, including the omission of the Labour Party's name from the ballot paper. Similar complaints arose in other by-elections, with Labaran Maku, Labour Party candidate in Nasarawa North Senatorial District, rejecting the outcome due to alleged irregularities and BVAS failures. Candidates in Rivers South-East Senatorial Dist
Must ReadA video circulating on social media, allegedly featuring bandit leader Bello Turji, shows him claiming responsibility for recent attacks on security operatives in Sokoto and Zamfara states. In the Hausa-language video, dated June 20, 2026, the masked speaker, believed to be Turji, appears with armed men and states his fighters attacked those accused of killing community members and confiscating livestock in areas like Shinkafi and Sabon Birni. He claims his group retaliated and achieved victory. Turji also addresses potential peace talks, stating his group is ready for negotiation if the government chooses dialogue, but is also prepared for continued armed confrontation if force is used. He asserts they will defend themselves. This video surfaced days after a deadly ambush on security personnel in Sokoto State, where an Improvised Explosive Device reportedly killed at least four soldiers, though military authorities have not confirmed this. The incident occurred near Bargaja village, which has seen increased terrorist activity. Security sources had expressed concern that intelligence reports about armed group movements were not acted upon promptly. Turji's claims come amid reports of increased armed group activities and weapons training in border communities between Sokoto and Zamfara. Security authorities have not officially responded to the video, and the authenticity of its claims could not be independently verified. Turji is a wanted bandit leader linked to kidnappings, k