Four supporters of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai were arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse, Abuja, on Wednesday for allegedly obstructing the operations of the EFCC.

The defendants—Ibrahim Ayuba, Idris Abubakar, Haruna Isah, and Abdulrahman Ibrahim—were charged with joint act, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbance, and obstructing a public servant from performing official duties.

According to the prosecuting counsel, Donatus Abah, the EFCC had submitted a petition to the FCT Police Commissioner through the DPO of Galadima Police Division on February 16, 2026. The petition alleged that while the Commission was investigating a case involving El-Rufai, the defendants, along with others at large, violently obstructed its staff from executing their official duties.

Abah added that the defendants further incited the public against the EFCC by displaying a banner reading “Nasir El-Rufai Solidarity Vanguard,” an action intended to provoke a breach of public peace.

The offences, the prosecution stated, contravened Sections 79, 100, 114, and 145 of the Penal Code.

The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Presiding Magistrate, Sunday Adukwu, granted each of the accused bail in the sum of N200,000 with one reliable surety. He directed that the surety must be a Civil or Public Servant of Grade Level 7 or above, warning that failure to produce an acceptable surety would result in the defendants being remanded in the Nigerian Correctional Center.

The court adjourned the matter until April 13, 2026, for trial.

This case highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the operations of anti-corruption agencies and the challenges of enforcing accountability in politically sensitive investigations.