ICPC arraigns El-Rufai, ex-aide, five firms over alleged N8.68 billion Kaduna CCTV contract fraud

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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Thursday, arraigned former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser, Jimi Lawal, and five companies over alleged corruption and money laundering linked to an N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract.

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The defendants were arraigned before trial judge Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on 111 amended charges filed by the anti-corruption agency.

The ICPC filed the charges in April against Mr El-Rufai, who is facing prosecution the agency in other corruption cases.

According to a statement on Thursday by the ICPC’s Head of Media and Public Communications, John Odey, Mr El-Rufai is the first defendant in the case marked FHC/KD/93C/2026.

Also named as defendants are Mr Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The commission stated that Bashir El-Rufai, identified in the charge as an elder brother of the former governor, was mentioned in one of the counts and is currently at large.

Allegations

According to the amended charges, Mr El-Rufai, while serving as governor of Kaduna State, allegedly 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 at a reviewed cost of N8.68 billion.

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The commission alleged that the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company it claimed lacked the requisite experience and qualifications for the project, in violation of public procurement laws.

It further alleged that proceeds arising from the transaction were subsequently transferred through several companies and individuals.

The anti-corruption agency said the charges include allegations relating to the possession, receipt and movement of funds reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

According to the charge, the defendants allegedly received or took possession of more than N2 billion through a series of transactions involving Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited between 2017 and 2022.

One of the counts alleged that Mr El-Rufai aided an act of corruption by approving the CCTV contract despite knowing that the company awarded the project lacked the required experience and that the procurement process violated the law.

The offences are alleged to be contrary to provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Defendants plead not guilty

Messrs El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty when the charges were read to them in court.

Following their pleas, Mr Buhari adjourned the matter until 1 July for a ruling on the defendants’ bail application.

The latest case adds to a list corruption prosecutions instituted against the former governor by the ICPC.

In March, the commission arraigned Mr El-Rufai and an associate, Joel Adoga, before the Federal High Court in Kaduna over the alleged laundering of N579 million and $1.1 million said to be proceeds of unlawful activities. 

The defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Mr El-Rufai is also facing a separate case before the Kaduna State High Court, where the ICPC amended an earlier charge and re-arraigned him on counts bordering on alleged abuse of office, procurement violations and related offences during his tenure as governor. 

He has denied wrongdoing in the cases.