El-Rufai appears in two Kaduna courts over corruption, money laundering allegations

Nasir El-Rufai, the former Kaduna State Governor, appeared before two separate courts in Kaduna on Wednesday to face serious allegations of corruption, abuse of office, and money laundering. Both matters have been adjourned for further legal proceedings.

​State High Court probes abuse of office

​Nasir El-Rufai first appeared before the Kaduna State High Court in a case instituted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The matter, presided over by Justice Darius Khobo, centres on allegations of abuse of office and money laundering during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor.

​Following the day’s proceedings, Justice Khobo adjourned the case until June 29, 2026, for the continuation of the hearing.

​Federal Court reviews N8.68bn CCTV contract fraud

​In a parallel development, the former governor was arraigned at the Federal High Court alongside Jimi Lawal, his former Special Adviser, and five corporate entities. The defendants face an amended 11-count charge brought by the ICPC involving an alleged N8.68 billion Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) contract fraud.

​The prosecution alleges that El-Rufai aided acts of corruption by approving the contract for Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company that reportedly lacked the required experience, in violation of public procurement laws.

​Defendants plead not guilty as bail rulings loom

​While El-Rufai entered a “not guilty” plea to Count One, Lawal pleaded not guilty to Counts Six, Seven, and Eight. The corporate defendant, Singularity Network Security Limited, was arraigned on the remaining counts. The anti-graft agency alleges that the defendants collectively moved or took possession of more than N2 billion suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activity.

​When the matter came up before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari, the defence counsel informed the court that separate bail applications had been filed for both El-Rufai and Lawal. After listening to submissions from the prosecution and defence, Justice Buhari adjourned the case until July 1, 2026, for a ruling on the bail applications.