By Nkechi Eze
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on Monday arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, before the Kaduna State High Court on a nine-count charge bordering on alleged advance fee fraud, money laundering, abuse of office and procurement violations.
El-Rufai was arraigned before Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court 5 following the amendment of the original charge filed by the anti-corruption agency. He pleaded not guilty to all nine counts.
In an official signed statement, the Head of Media and Public Communications of the Commission, J. Okor Odey, said the amendment was effected by the prosecution counsel, Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, after the charge earlier filed jointly against El-Rufai and his co-defendant, Amadu Sule, was separated due to the latter’s continued absence on medical grounds.
According to the Commission, the court granted the application, allowing the prosecution to proceed with El-Rufai’s arraignment independently.
The defendant was subsequently arraigned on nine amended counts under the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000, the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006, the Kaduna State Penal Code 2017, and the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law 2017.
In Count One, El-Rufai was alleged to have, in December 2016 in Kaduna, while serving as governor, induced the Kaduna State Government under false pretence to confer a benefit of N11,000,000,000.00 (Eleven Billion Naira) on Indokaduna Mirs JV Nigeria Limited, an unregistered entity, for a light rail project that was never executed, contrary to Section 1(2) and punishable under Section 1(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006.
Count Two alleged that in September 2020, he used his position as governor to confer a corrupt advantage upon himself by approving and receiving N289,826,998.12 as severance allowance over and above his entitled N20,013,245.00, contrary to Section 19 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act 2000.
Count Three stated that in January 2023, he again allegedly approved and received the same sum of N289,826,998.12 as severance allowance in excess of his lawful entitlement, also contrary to Section 19 of the ICPC Act.
Count Four accused him, alongside others at large, of dishonestly disposing of $1,085,066.38 belonging to Kaduna State Government funds obtained from the World Bank loan between March and November 2022, contrary to Section 300 of the Kaduna State Penal Code 2017.
Count Five alleged that in October 2025, in Dubai and Cairo, he conspired with Bashir Ahmad El-Rufai (now at large) to corruptly offer monetary benefits to federal investigators in order to compromise an ongoing investigation involving Singularity Network Security Limited, contrary to Sections 26(1)(c), 66(1) and 9(1)(b) of the ICPC Act 2000.
Count Six alleged that in December 2015, he approved a N4,610,170,000.00 contract for CCTV installation in Kaduna Metropolis awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited in violation of procurement laws, contrary to Section 35(25) and punishable under Section 68(4) of the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law No. 12 of 2016.
Count Seven accused him of conferring unfair advantage on Singularity Network Security Limited by awarding a $22,475,000.00 CCTV contract in December 2015, contrary to Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.
Count Eight alleged that in April 2018, he used his office to confer unfair advantage on his associate, Amadu Sule (LEDA), by causing the revocation of a parcel of land covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. KDL 86593 along Kaduna–Zaria Express By-Pass, belonging to Mohammed Umar Karage, contrary to Section 19 of the ICPC Act 2000.
Count Nine alleged that he committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the same parcel of land by dishonestly allocating it to Old Port Investment Limited for the benefit of TMDK Industries Limited and Amadu Sule, contrary to the ICPC Act.
After taking his plea, counsel to the prosecution urged the court to fix a date for trial and ensure the defendant’s attendance, while defence counsel informed the court of a pending bail application and prayed for liberal terms.
Justice Khobo adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026 for ruling on the bail application and ordered that El-Rufai remain in ICPC custody pending determination of the application.
