RismadarVoice Reporters, April 13, 2026
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (IChas filed an amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption.
The development was disclosed on Monday by El-Rufai’s counsel, Mr. Ukpong Abang, shortly after proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court.
Abang explained that the amended charge saw the removal of one of the earlier defendants, leaving the former governor as the sole defendant in the case. He also noted that the court took El-Rufai’s plea and heard his bail application during the session.
“The charges are entirely new to us. They were given to us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed to hearing,” Abang said.
He added that the defence team would study the amended charges before deciding on the next line of action.
“We will analyse the charges and make our position known. For now, there is nothing we can do until we have fully reviewed them,” he stated.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, for ruling on the bail application.
According to the charge marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, the anti-graft agency accused El-Rufai of committing multiple offences during his tenure as governor.
The ICPC alleged that in 2016, he induced the Kaduna State Government to confer a benefit of N11 billion on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was not executed.
The commission also accused him of approving and receiving severance benefits amounting to about N289.8 million, exceeding the legally approved sum of N20 million.
In another count, El-Rufai was alleged to have unlawfully disposed of over $1 million, part of a World Bank loan to Kaduna State, in violation of the loan agreement.
Other charges include conspiracy to influence federal investigators, violations of procurement laws in the award of a multi-billion-naira CCTV contract, conferring undue advantage on associates, and unlawful land allocations.
El-Rufai had earlier been arraigned alongside businessman Amadu Sule before Justice Darius Khobo on related allegations, but the amended charge now lists him as the sole defendant.
The former governor, who has denied all allegations, was held in ICPC custody from February 19 until March 28, when he was granted temporary release on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s burial.
