Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been granted bail in the sum of N100 million by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the ruling on Monday, ordered that the former governor must provide one surety in like sum as part of the bail conditions.
The court ruled that the surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
According to the court, the surety must also be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, to be authenticated by a letter from the surety’s bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.
Justice Abdulmalik further directed the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond and submit a recent passport photograph to the court registry.
As part of the bail conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to surrender all valid international passports to the court.
The court also mandated the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s department as well as a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
In addition, the judge ordered the former governor to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.
Justice Abdulmalik warned that failure to comply with any of the conditions would result in an automatic revocation of the bail.
The court also directed El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
The ruling comes days after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar called on the Federal Government to release El-Rufai ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebrations.
Atiku, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, described El-Rufai’s detention as “unfair, unnecessary, and inconsistent with democratic principles.”
He argued that keeping the former governor in custody during a religious period associated with mercy and reconciliation undermines constitutional rights and democratic values.
El-Rufai is currently facing a 10-count charge bordering on alleged money laundering and conversion of public funds before the Federal High Court. He and his co-defendant, Joel Adoga, have both pleaded not guilty to the charges.
