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Court transfers El-Rufai’s ₦423bn fraud case, blocks bid to halt proceedings

Transferring the case to the Kaduna State Chief Judge suggests that the legal proceedings will continue under a new jurisdiction, leaving the former governor to face further scrutiny.

Mallam Nasir El-Rufai. [Facebook/Getty Images]

The case, linked to an alleged ₦423 billion fraud, saw El-Rufai attempting to challenge the Assembly's actions against him.

Motions from the applicants were heard during a virtual court session held on July 29, 2024, presided over by Justice R.M. Aikawa.

The next day, July 30, Justice Aikawa delivered his ruling, in which he stated that El-Rufai had failed to demonstrate any compelling circumstances that would justify setting aside the court proceedings as requested.

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Justice Aikawa also addressed El-Rufai's application for recusal, dismissing it outright.

He emphasised that El-Rufai did not provide sufficient reasons or factual evidence to warrant the judge's stepping down from the case.

"The applicant has not established any grounds that would compel this court to recuse itself," Justice Aikawa asserted, referencing several precedents in his ruling.

While the respondents' counsel urged the court to dismiss the suit entirely, Justice Aikawa opted for a different action.

Exercising his powers under Section 22(2) of the Federal High Court Act, he transferred the case to the Chief Judge of Kaduna State for further determination.

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This move shifts the responsibility to the state judiciary, where the case is expected to proceed.

The court's decision marks a setback for El-Rufai, which is embroiled in a legal battle over -[pthe alleged ₦423 billion fraud.

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