Justice Belgore has returned the fundamental human rights suit filed by former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El Rufai, to the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory for reassignment. El Rufai has been in custody since February 16, 2026, after he voluntarily reported to the EFCC.

Two days later, on February 18, he was moved to ICPC custody. Judges sometimes step away from cases because of leave, retirement, promotion, or recusal. In past political and election cases, files have been returned to the Chief Judge for reassignment when a judge became unavailable. Still, when a case is reassigned, it can slow things down. A new judge must take over and fix another date. For someone in detention, time matters. Bail hearings are not just routine court steps. The law may keep moving, but the clock is ticking. And while the file changes hands inside the court, one thing remains unchanged outside it: a man is still in custody, waiting for justice to catch up.