More trouble for El’Rufai, as ICPC indicts former government and 6 others on amended charges for alleged corruption

Former Governor Nasir El’Rufai’s woes appear to continue to grow, as the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) hauled him to court again on 11 amended charges bordering on allegations of corruption, money laundering and other related offences.

On trial alongside his former Senior Special Counsel and Senior Special Counsel, Jimi Lawal, and five others.

In a statement published on its website on Thursday, the ICPC said the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, under Power of Attorney No. FHC/KD/93C/2026.

According to the commission, the amended indictment names El-Rufai as the first defendant along with Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The anti-corruption agency also included Bashir El-Rufai, identified as the former governor’s older brother and currently a fugitive, in one of the indictments.

The ICPC alleged that El-Rufai, while serving as governor of Kaduna State, approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis worth N8.68 billion to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company it claimed lacked the necessary experience and qualifications.

READ ALSO: 16 people rescued, more feared trapped as 3-storey building collapses in Lagos

The Commission further alleged that the contract proceeds were then channeled through several companies and individuals.

According to the indictment, the defendants allegedly received and possessed funds in excess of N2 billion through a series of transactions involving the company between 2017 and 2022, funds which the commission said were reasonably suspected to be the proceeds of unlawful activities.

ICPC said the alleged offenses contravene the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

One of the indictments alleges that El-Rufai aided acts of corruption by approving CCTV contracts in violation of procurement laws despite allegedly knowing that the company awarding the contracts did not have the necessary experience.

Both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them.

The court then adjourned the process until July 1, 2026, to decide on the defendants’ bail applications.

Recall that El-Rufai is facing multiple charges from various parties including the DSS, which is prosecuting him on five charges related to alleged interception of communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.