Politics
ICPC Arraigns El-Rufai, Former Aide Over Alleged ₦8.6bn CCTV Contract Fraud
By
Meeyah
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five others over alleged corruption, money laundering, and related offences.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on an amended 11-count charge in case number FHC/KD/93C/2026, according to a statement issued by the commission on Thursday, June 25.
The amended charge also includes several companies—Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited. Bashir El-Rufai was also named in one of the counts and is reported to be at large.
According to the ICPC, El-Rufai, while serving as governor, approved the award of an ₦8.68 billion contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design, and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company the commission alleges lacked the required technical capacity.
The commission further alleged that proceeds from the contract were moved through multiple companies and individuals between 2017 and 2022. It claimed that more than ₦2 billion was received and transferred through various entities and was reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
One of the charges alleges that El-Rufai aided corruption by approving the CCTV contract in violation of procurement regulations despite allegedly knowing that the company did not possess the necessary qualifications.
El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to the charges. The court adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for a ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.
The former governor is also facing separate legal proceedings, including a case involving the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations linked to the interception of communications involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
