The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100 million in his ongoing trial over alleged breach of national security.
Delivering her ruling on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik imposed a number of stringent conditions to be fulfilled before the former governor can perfect his bail.
The court ordered El-Rufai to provide one surety in like sum. The surety must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property with the court registry.
Justice Abdulmalik further ruled that the surety must be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must present evidence of salary payments for at least three months, supported by a letter from a bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.
In addition, the surety is expected 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, the former governor was also directed to surrender all valid international passports to the court.
The court further ordered the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.
Justice Abdulmalik also directed El-Rufai to report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services every last Friday of the month by 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.
She warned that any breach of the bail conditions would lead to an automatic revocation of the bail granted to the defendant.
The court additionally ordered El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.
An accelerated hearing of the charges filed against the former governor by the Federal Government was also ordered by the court.