RismadarVoice Reporters, June 25, 2026
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, alongside his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five others over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract fraud.
According to a statement issued by the anti-corruption agency on Thursday, the defendants were brought before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on an amended 11-count charge bordering on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.
The charge, filed under suit number FHC/KD/93C/2026, lists El-Rufai as the first defendant. Other defendants include Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.
The commission also named Bashir El-Rufai, identified as an elder brother of the former governor, in one of the counts. He is currently said to be at large.
ICPC alleged that during his tenure as governor, El-Rufai approved the award of a contract valued at N8.68 billion for the procurement, planning, design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across the Kaduna metropolis.
The commission claimed that the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited despite the company allegedly lacking the necessary qualifications and technical experience required for the project.
Investigators further alleged that funds linked to the contract were subsequently transferred through a network of companies and individuals in transactions spanning several years.
According to the amended charge, the defendants allegedly received and retained more than N2 billion through multiple financial transactions conducted between 2017 and 2022. The commission maintains that the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
The ICPC stated that the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the counts specifically accuses El-Rufai of facilitating an act of corruption by approving the contract in violation of procurement regulations, despite allegedly being aware that the contractor lacked the required expertise to execute the project.
When the charges were read in court, both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty.
Following the plea, Justice Buhari adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for a ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.
The former governor is also facing other legal proceedings. Among them is a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS), which accuses him of involvement in the alleged interception of communications linked to National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
