10th October 2026, News, Law And Society, Governance And Development, Politics

The Court of Appeal sitting in Kaduna has dismissed an appeal filed before it by the former Governor of the state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

The development comes after Justice Darious Khobo of Kaduna State High Court rejected El-Rufai’s bail and recusal applications.

Delivering its judgment in Appeal Number CA/K/254C/2026, the Appellate Court affirmed the ruling of the lower court, holding that “the trial Judge exercised his discretion judicially and judiciously, with no miscarriage of justice.”

In a unanimous judgment, the three-member appellate panel held that “El-Rufai failed to establish fresh facts or special circumstances warranting interference with the lower court’s decision to deny him bail.”

According to the Certified True Copy of the judgment, the lead judgment delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which refused the former governor’s second bail application on June 10, 2026.

The Court also struck out the appellant’s reply brief filed on September 29, describing it as incompetent, while resolving the sole issue for determination against El-Rufai and in favour of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Appellate Court held that ‘it would not interfere with findings of fact by a trial court where such findings had not been shown to be perverse.”

It therefore dismissed the appeal “for lack of merit.”

NewsOrient reports that the substantive trial has been scheduled to commence on October 12, 2026.

~ Published By NewsOrient Network

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