Journalists Barred As El-Rufai Arrives In Court Over Bail Application

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Emmynet24 News reports that a former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday morning arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for the continuation of the hearing of his bail application.

The former governor was driven into the court premises at about 9:00am and stepped out of his vehicle around 9:05am, drawing attention from security operatives and a few observers present at the venue.

Security was significantly tightened around the court, with armed personnel strategically deployed within and outside the premises to maintain order.

As proceedings resumed, journalists were reportedly barred from entering the courtroom, as security operatives enforced strict access control.

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 urging the presiding judge, Rilwan M. Aikawa, to recuse himself over alleged bias and a pending petition.

The application, which questioned the court’s impartiality, was strongly opposed by the prosecution.

However, in a dramatic turn, the defence team later filed another motion seeking to withdraw its earlier request for the judge to step aside.

The conflicting applications sparked intense legal exchanges between both parties, leading to procedural delays that stalled the hearing of the bail application.

The situation was further complicated when the prosecution submitted a counter-affidavit opposing the bail request, leaving the defence with limited time to review and respond.

Following the developments, Justice Aikawa adjourned the matter to Wednesday for the continuation of the hearing.