Unuevbo TV
Supreme Court Fixes June 15 for Final Hearing on El‑Rufai's ₦423 Billion Fraud Case — Orders Accelerated Trial in Kaduna
The Supreme Court has set a June 15 deadline for the final hearing in the ₦423 billion fraud case against former Kaduna Governor Nasir El‑Rufai.
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has dramatically accelerated the timeline for one of the country's most significant corruption cases, fixing June 15, 2026, for the final hearing of the appeal challenging the bail granted to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai. The decision, delivered by a five‑member panel led by Justice Kudirat Kekere‑Ekun on Wednesday, also orders the trial court in Kaduna to proceed on a day‑to‑day basis once the appeal is resolved. For El‑Rufai, still in ICPC custody, the ruling means his legal fate will be decided within three weeks — and with it, the political calculus of an opposition that has rallied around him.
The Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had approached the apex court to overturn a Kaduna State High Court ruling that granted El‑Rufai bail in the ₦423 billion fraud and abuse of office case. The commission argued that the former governor, who faces an amended nine‑count charge, posed a flight risk and could interfere with witnesses. El‑Rufai's lawyers had argued that he voluntarily submitted himself to authorities and was not a fugitive, but the Supreme Court's order for an accelerated trial suggests it is treating the matter with uncommon urgency.
The political dimensions are impossible to ignore. El‑Rufai, a founding member of the APC turned opposition ally, has aligned himself with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 elections, and his continued detention has become a rallying cry for figures who accuse the Tinubu administration of using state institutions to neutralise dissent. With the ADC presidential primary now settled, the question of whether El‑Rufai walks free — and when — will shape the opposition's energy and its ability to frame the 2027 race as a contest between democracy and persecution.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for updates on the Supreme Court hearing and the political fallout ahead of 2027.
📺 Watch Nigerian politics 24/7 on our Politics Channel.
© 2026 Unuevbo TV – All rights reserved. Republication only with permission.