ICPC Arraigns El-Rufai, Six Others Over Alleged ₦8.6 Billion CCTV Contract Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former Kaduna State governor, Nasir el-Rufai, and six others on an 11-count amended charge bordering on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.

Naija News reports that the other defendants are Jimi Lawal, a former aide to el-Rufai; Singularity Network Security Limited; Solar Life Nigeria Limited; Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited; Intercellular Nigeria Limited; and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

In the amended charge, the ICPC alleged that el-Rufai “unlawfully approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television surveillance system in Kaduna Metropolis in the reviewed sum of ₦8,682,574,054.94 to Singularity Network Security Limited.”

The commission claimed that the contract was awarded contrary to public procurement laws to a company alleged to lack the required experience and qualifications.

El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to the charges.

The anti-graft agency also alleged that the defendants knowingly received or took possession of funds amounting to over ₦2 billion through various transactions involving Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited between 2017 and 2022.

According to a statement published on the ICPC website, Bashir el-Rufai, said to be an elder brother of the former governor, was also mentioned in one of the counts and is currently at large.

The case was adjourned till July 1, 2026, for ruling on the bail application. El-Rufai served as Kaduna State governor from 2015 to 2023.

Lawal was a senior adviser to the former governor and counsellor at the Kaduna Economic Development Council from 2019 to 2023. He also served as el-Rufai’s special adviser during his first term.

Other Cases

El-Rufai is also facing multiple charges in different courts filed by the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS).

The ICPC had earlier arraigned him before the Federal High Court in Kaduna and the Kaduna State High Court on separate charges bordering on alleged corruption and money laundering.

The DSS is also prosecuting him on five counts over allegations that he unlawfully intercepted telephone conversations linked to the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

At the Federal High Court in Kaduna, Justice Rilwani Aikawa granted him bail in the sum of ₦200 million.

At the Kaduna State High Court, Justice Darius Khobo denied his bail application.

At the Federal High Court in Abuja, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik granted him bail in the sum of ₦100 million with one surety in like sum.