Court Grants El-Rufai ₦100m Bail Over National Security Breach Charges

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of ₦100 million with one surety in like sum. The ruling, delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on Monday, May 18, 2026, comes after the Department of State Services (DSS) recently arraigned the former governor on a five-count amended charge bordering on an alleged breach of national security and wiretapping.

While the court agreed to release El-Rufai from custody, Justice Abdulmalik attached highly stringent conditions to the bail. The designated surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17, must reside within the high-end Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja, and must submit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property to the court registry. Furthermore, the surety is required to present a tax clearance certificate spanning the last six months and a verification letter from their immediate government department, which will be authenticated by their bank manager.

As part of the strict terms to ensure he does not leave the jurisdiction, El-Rufai must deposit all his valid international passports with the court registry. He is also required to submit a formal letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council. Most notably, the judge ordered the former governor to report to the DSS headquarters in Abuja at 10:00 a.m. on the last Friday of every single month to sign an attendance register. Justice Abdulmalik warned that any failure to meet these terms would result in an automatic revocation of his bail.

This national security case runs parallel to separate legal battles El-Rufai is facing, including corruption and abuse of office charges filed against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in Kaduna. With his trial set to proceed, the strict monitoring conditions imposed by the court ensure the high-profile politician will remain under close state surveillance.

What do you think about the stringent bail conditions given to the former governor, especially the requirement to report to the DSS every month? Please drop your comments below!

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