The Federal High Court on Tuesday adjourned the bail application of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai to March 31, 2026, after he was arraigned on only one of several charges alongside co-defendant Joel Adoga.

El-Rufai faced a 10-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) bordering on alleged conversion and possession of public property, money laundering, and related financial offences.

Court proceedings showed he was formally arraigned on a single count relating to deposits into a domiciliary account and the monetization of earnings.

No plea was taken on the remaining counts, and no bail was granted or even formally moved during Tuesday’s sitting. The case was adjourned to allow for further processes, including service of documents and consideration of pending applications before the same judge.

Defence counsel told the court that nothing untoward occurred during the proceedings and noted that the defence is yet to be fully served with processes in respect of other potential charges.

A separate case involving similar allegations has also been filed at the Kaduna State High Court, with its hearing date to be communicated later.

The arraignment drew tight security around the Federal High Court in Kaduna, with multiple security agencies present as El-Rufai appeared in person for the first time in the state since leaving office.

The matter remains ongoing, with the next date fixed for March 31, 2026, when the court is expected to hear the bail application and other pending motions.

A civil jury in Los Angeles County has found comedian Bill Cosby liable for drugging and sexually assaulting a woman more than five decades ago, ordering the 88-year-old entertainer to pay her $19.25 million in compensatory damages.

The verdict, reached Monday after a nearly two-week trial, concerns claims brought by Donna Motsinger, a former waitress who alleged that Cosby assaulted her in 1972.

According to the lawsuit, Motsinger was working at a restaurant in Sausalito, California, when Cosby visited. He later invited her to one of his comedy shows at the Circle Star Theater, where she says he gave her wine and a pill, causing her to lose consciousness.

She recalled flashes of light and later woke up at home naked except for her underwear, realizing she had been drugged and raped.Jurors determined that Cosby committed sexual battery and assault.

The award includes $17.5 million for Motsinger’s past mental trauma and $1.75 million for future suffering. Some reports indicate the jury also began considering additional punitive damages, which could significantly increase the total.

Cosby’s legal team has indicated it plans to appeal the decision.

The case marks the latest legal setback for the once-beloved star of The Cosby Show, who has faced dozens of sexual assault allegations from women dating back decades.

He served nearly three years in a Pennsylvania prison after a 2018 conviction for sexual assault, but that criminal conviction was overturned by an appeals court in 2021 on procedural grounds.

Cosby has consistently denied the accusations against him. This civil verdict comes amid a string of similar lawsuits. In 2022, another California jury found Cosby liable in a separate case involving a teenager at the Playboy Mansion and awarded $500,000 in damages.

Motsinger was previously identified as “Jane Doe No. 8” in an earlier civil action related to Cosby.

The judgment adds to the mounting financial and reputational consequences for the disgraced entertainer, who has seen his legacy as “America’s Dad” largely dismantled by the wave of allegations that surfaced publicly around 2014.

Suspected terrorists early Monday detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) that destroyed a critical bridge linking several communities in Borgu Local Government Area, severing a key transportation route and claiming at least eight lives.

The attack occurred around 2:00 a.m. along Luma Road, where the bridge connects the Luma, Babana, and Agwara communities.

This vital link serves residents traveling to the weekly Babanna border market, a major economic hub held every Monday. The destruction has disrupted movement, trade, and access to essential services in the affected rural areas.

According to the Niger State Police Command spokesperson, SP Wasiu Abiodun, suspected terrorists believed to be operating from forests near Kainji National Park used explosives to bomb the bridge in an apparent effort to hinder ongoing counter-insurgency operations by security forces.

Tragically, the same attackers are reported to have planted another IED along the road, which detonated and struck a passing vehicle, killing all eight occupants. Clearance and monitoring operations have been intensified in the area, with authorities working to restore access and pursue the perpetrators.

The incident highlights the persistent security challenges in parts of Niger State, where armed groups have carried out repeated attacks on infrastructure and civilians in recent months. Local residents expressed concern over the economic impact, especially with the major market day coinciding with the attack’s aftermath.

Security agencies have urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities as efforts continue to secure the region and repair the damaged infrastructure.