ICPC Files Fresh Charges Against El Rufai Over N8.8bn CCTV Contract

June 25 () — Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has entered a fresh legal battle after the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned him, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five companies over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration.

El-Rufai and the other defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, on Thursday on an amended 11-count charge bordering on alleged corruption, money laundering, and related offences.

The companies named in the suit are Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The ICPC also listed Bashir El-Rufai, identified as an elder brother of the former governor, as a defendant in one of the counts, alleging that he is currently at large.

The Commission in a statement, alleged that El-Rufai, while serving as governor, approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design, and installation of a CCTV surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis valued at N8,682,574,054.94.

The anti-corruption agency alleged that the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company it claimed lacked the requisite experience and qualifications required for such a project.

According to the commission, the contract award was made in violation of procurement regulations, while funds connected to the project were later transferred through a network of companies and individuals.

The ICPC further alleged that between 2017 and 2022, the defendants received and possessed funds exceeding N2 billion through a series of transactions involving the companies named in the charge.

It maintained that the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Part of Count One of the charge reads: “That you, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (M) sometime in December, 2015 or thereabout at Kaduna, Kaduna State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, while being the Executive Governor of Kaduna State aided an act of corruption, when you approved the award of contract for the procurement of survey planning, final design and installation of CCTV at Kaduna metropolis in the reviewed sum of N8,682,574,054.94 to Messrs Singularity Network Security Limited, a company with no requisite experience and in violation of procurement laws, which act you knew was unlawful.”

The commission said the alleged offence is contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

When the charges were read before the court, both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty.

Following their pleas, Justice Buhari adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for ruling on bail applications filed by the defendants.

The latest prosecution marks another legal challenge for the former Kaduna governor, who is also facing a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS).

In that matter, El-Rufai is accused of allegedly wiretapping the telephone communications of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, among other allegations.