Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alongside his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Mr. Jimi Adebisi Lawal, and five companies over alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences linked to a controversial N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract.
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on an 11-count amended charge filed by the anti-graft agency in suit number FHC/KD/93C/2026.
Others named in the charge are Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited. The charge also mentions Bashir El-Rufai, described by the ICPC as an elder brother of the former governor, who is reportedly at large.
According to the Commission, El-Rufai allegedly approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across Kaduna metropolis in the revised sum of ₦8,682,574,054.94 while serving as governor of the state. The ICPC alleged that the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited despite the company allegedly lacking the required experience and qualifications, in contravention of public procurement regulations.
In the amended charge, the Commission stated: “That you, MALLAM NASIR AHMAD 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 (Eight Billion, Six Hundred and Eighty-Two Million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, Fifty-Four Naira, Ninety-Four Kobo) 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 anti-corruption agency further alleged that proceeds arising from the contract were subsequently transferred through a network of companies and individuals. According to the charge, the defendants knowingly received or took possession of funds exceeding ₦2 billion through various transactions involving the named companies between 2017 and 2022.
The offences, the Commission said, are contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, with several counts relating to the alleged receipt, possession and movement of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.
When the charges were read in court, both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to all counts. Their legal teams subsequently filed applications seeking bail pending trial.
Following the arraignment, Justice Buhari adjourned proceedings until July 1, 2026, when the court is expected to rule on the bail applications and determine the next stage of the high-profile corruption case.
