Oludsegun ARIYO
The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million in his trial over alleged breach of national security.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while delivering a ruling in a bail application on Monday, imposed a series of stringent conditions El-Rufai must meet before being released on bail.
The ex-governor is to provide one surety in like sum. The court ordered that the surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry.
The surety is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a letter from the manager of the bank within the jurisdiction of the court.
The court further ordered 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 is to deposit all valid international passports with the court.
The court also directed that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
Justice Abdulmalik further ordered the defendant 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.
The judge warned that failure to comply would result in automatic revocation of bail.
The court additionally directed El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
The court equally ordered an accelerated trial of the charge brought against El-Rufai by the Nigerian government.
