ICPC arraigns El-Rufai, ex-aide, over alleged N8.6bn CCTV contract fraud
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has brought former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, along with five others, before the Federal High Court on an amended 11-count charge involving alleged corruption, money laundering, and related offences.
According to a statement issued by the commission on Thursday, the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna in case number FHC/KD/93C/2026.
The amended charge lists El-Rufai as the first defendant alongside Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited.
The ICPC also named Bashir El-Rufai, described as an elder brother of the former governor and currently at large, in one of the charges.
The commission alleged that while serving as governor, El-Rufai approved the award of an N8.68 billion contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design, and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited, despite the company allegedly lacking the necessary experience and qualifications.
Investigators further claimed that funds generated from the contract were later transferred through a network of companies and individuals.
According to the charge sheet, the defendants allegedly received and controlled more than N2 billion between 2017 and 2022 through a series of transactions involving the companies. The ICPC maintains that the funds were reasonably suspected to have originated from unlawful activities.
The commission stated that the alleged offences violate provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the counts specifically accuses El-Rufai of facilitating corruption by approving the CCTV contract in breach of procurement regulations while allegedly being aware that the contractor did not possess the required expertise.
Both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to the charges when they were read in court.
Justice Buhari subsequently adjourned proceedings until July 1, 2026, when the court is expected to rule on the defendants’ bail applications.
El-Rufai is also facing other legal challenges, including a separate prosecution by the Department of State Services (DSS) on five counts relating to the alleged interception of communications involving the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.