The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the sum of N100 million with one surety in the same amount.
The former governor, who publicly admitted on national television to wiretapping the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, is facing prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS) for allegedly breaching national security.
In her ruling on the bail application, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik imposed several strict conditions that must be fulfilled before the bail can be perfected.
The court ruled that the proposed surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro in Abuja and deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
Additionally, the surety must be a federal civil servant of Grade Level 17 or above and is required to submit proof of salary payments for at least the past three months, supported by an authentication letter from the branch bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.
The court further directed the surety to swear to an affidavit of means, sign a bail bond, and provide a recent passport photograph to the court registry.
El-Rufai has also been ordered to surrender all his valid passports to the court.
Other conditions include the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department and a tax clearance certificate for the last six months.
Justice Abdulmalik ordered the defendant to report to the DSS headquarters on the last Friday of every month by 10 a.m. to sign the attendance register until the case is concluded.
The judge cautioned that any breach of these conditions would lead to the immediate revocation of the bail.
The court also required El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna State Traditional Council.
Finally, the court ordered an accelerated hearing of the case.Faridah Abdulkadiri