The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday granted bail to former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in the sum of N100m over charges bordering on alleged breach of national security.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, while ruling on the bail application, imposed stringent conditions for the former governor’s release.

The court held 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 with the court registry.

The judge further ruled that the surety must 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 bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.

Justice Abdulmalik also directed 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 conditions, El-Rufai was ordered to deposit all valid international passports with the court.

The court also directed the submission of a verification letter from the surety’s department, along with a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

In addition, the judge ordered the former governor to report to the Department of State Services headquarters on the last Friday of each month by 10 am to sign the attendance register, pending the determination of the case.

The court warned that any breach of the conditions would result in the bail being automatically revoked.

Justice Abdulmalik further ordered El-Rufai to submit a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council.

The bail ruling followed the arraignment of the former governor by the Department of State Services on an amended five-count charge bordering on alleged breach of national security.

The DSS had, on April 23, arraigned El-Rufai before the same court, where he pleaded not guilty to all counts.

At the proceedings, counsel for the DSS, Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), informed the court that the prosecution had filed a further amended five-count charge on April 13 and sought to substitute the earlier three-count charge.

Count four of the amended charges marked marked FHC/ABJ/CR/99/2026, reads “That you, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, adult, male, intentionally and without authorization, intercepted the communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, as admitted by you on 13″ February, 2026, while appearing as a guest on Arise TV Station’s Prime Time Programme in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 12(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Amendment Act, 2024.”

Counsel to the defendant, Oluwole Iyamu (SAN), confirmed receipt of the amended charge and did not oppose the application.

The court subsequently struck out the earlier three-count charge and read the amended counts to El-Rufai, who again pleaded not guilty.

The defence had drawn the court’s attention to a pending bail application filed on February 17, noting that a further affidavit initially missing from the court file was later located during proceedings.

The DSS, however, told the court that it was not opposing the bail request.

The defence also filed an application seeking to quash the amended charge, which the prosecution urged the court to dismiss for lacking merit.

After hearing arguments from both parties, Justice Abdulmalik adjourned the matter for hearing before delivering the bail ruling on Monday.

The Defence Headquarters on Monday said Nigerian troops, in collaboration with the United States Africa Command, killed more than 20 Islamic State West Africa Province fighters during fresh coordinated air strikes in the North-East.

The DHQ said the operation was carried out in the general area of Metele following intelligence reports on the convergence and movement of terrorist elements within the region.

In a statement by the Director of Defence Information, Maj. Gen. Samaila Uba, the military said the strikes formed part of sustained operations aimed at dismantling terrorist networks and denying insurgents safe haven in the country.

“The Defence Headquarters, in close coordination with United States Africa Command, wish to update the general public on the continuation of coordinated operations against ISIS militants across the North East Nigeria, with additional air strike operations successfully executed in the general area of Metele.

“Following observed convergence and migration of terrorist elements, multiple air strikes were conducted resulting in the elimination of more than 20 ISIS/ISWAP fighters,” the statement partly read.

The military said the ongoing operations were designed to disrupt terrorist activities, remove fighters from the battlefield and prevent insurgents from regrouping.

“The Armed Forces of Nigeria will continue to aggressively defend the sovereignty, security and territorial integrity of the nation,” the statement added.

Uba stressed that terrorists threatening citizens and national stability would be located and defeated, saying that there would be no safe haven for all terrorists anywhere in Nigeria.

“Terrorists who threaten our citizens, communities and national stability will be located and defeated. There will be no safe haven for all terrorists anywhere in Nigeria,” he said.

This is coming after the announcements by United States President Donald Trump and President Bola Tinubu confirming the killing of ISIS kingpin, Al-Minuki during a joint counterterrorism operation conducted by Nigerian and US forces.

Trump described the slain militant as the most active terrorist in the world and claimed he was the second in command of ISIS globally,” adding that the terrorist leader believed he could evade capture in Africa.

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A pedestrian has lost his life after being knocked down by a Toyota Coaster bus at Imowo, along the Imowo-Ibadan Road inward Ijebu Ode in Ogun State.

PUNCH Metro gathered on Monday from the spokesperson for the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency, Babatunde Akinbiyi, that the fatal accident occurred at about 4:45 pm on Sunday and caused serious traffic congestion along the route due to the obstruction caused by the bus.

He noted that TRACE operatives and police officers from the Obalende Division were immediately deployed to the scene to manage traffic and rescue operations.

According to him, the accident happened when the pedestrian allegedly failed to check the other side of the road before attempting to cross.

The agency noted that there was a diversion to a single lane outward Ijebu Ode due to ongoing road rehabilitation works along the axis.

The statement read, “According to eyewitness account, the pedestrian forgot to check the other side of the road before crossing the road. There is diversion to one lane due to ongoing road rehabilitation on the axis.”

Akinbiyi added that no other injuries were recorded in the incident aside from the death of the male pedestrian.

He further disclosed that its operatives controlled vehicular movement around the scene to ease traffic congestion and prevent secondary accidents.

“TRACE operatives assisted in carrying the presumed dead into the OGSAS ambulance, while the body was subsequently conveyed to the General Hospital mortuary, Ijebu Ode,” the statement added.

The TRACE Head of Media stressed further that the accidented Toyota Coaster bus was later evacuated from the road and moved to the Police Area Command, Igbeba, for further investigation.

The agency confirmed that normal vehicular movement had been restored after the evacuation exercise.

PUNCH Metro reported earlier that an auto crash along the Third Mainland Bridge left a policeman riding on a motorcycle, dead after being hit by a Lexus car.

The driver of the car was said to have surrendered himself to the police following the incident.