ICPC arraigns El-Rufai, ex-aide over alleged ₦8.68bn Kaduna CCTV contract fraud

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 an alleged ₦8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement on Thursday, noting that the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, in Charge No. FHC/KD/93C/2026.

According to the ICPC, the amended 11-count charge borders on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.

The Commission listed El-Rufai as the first defendant alongside Jimi Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The agency also named Bashir El-Rufai, identified as an elder brother of the former governor and currently at large, in one of the counts.

ICPC 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 Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis valued at ₦8.68 billion in favour of Singularity Network Security Limited.

The Commission claimed that the company lacked the requisite experience and qualifications required to execute the project and that funds linked to the contract were subsequently transferred through a network of companies and individuals.

Investigators further alleged that the defendants received and possessed funds exceeding ₦2 billion between 2017 and 2022 through a series of transactions involving the companies named in the charge.

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

One of the charges accused El-Rufai of aiding an act of corruption by approving the contract despite alleged violations of procurement laws.

The charge stated that the former governor approved the CCTV project in favour of a company that allegedly lacked the technical competence to undertake such a project.

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

Justice Buhari subsequently adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for a ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.

The former governor is also facing a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS) over allegations relating to the alleged wiretapping of the phone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.