ICPC charges El‑Rufai and former aide over alleged N8.6bn 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 additional individuals on an amended 11‑count indictment alleging corruption, money laundering and related offences.

In a statement released on its website Thursday, the ICPC reported that the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna, under Charge No. FHC/KD/93C/2026.

The commission lists El‑Rufai as the first defendant, followed by Lawal and the companies Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

Bashir El‑Rufai, the former governor’s elder brother who is currently at large, is named in one of the charges.

The ICPC claims that, during his tenure as governor, El‑Rufai approved the award of a N8.68 billion contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a closed‑circuit television (CCTV) surveillance system in the Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited, a firm the agency says lacked the necessary experience and qualifications.

The commission further alleges that proceeds from the contract were later transferred through a number of companies and individuals.

The charge states that between 2017 and 2022, the defendants allegedly received and held more than N2 billion through a series of transactions involving the companies, amounts the commission says are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

ICPC says the alleged offences violate provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.

One count alleges that El‑Rufai facilitated corruption by approving the CCTV contract in breach of procurement laws, even though he allegedly knew the awarded company lacked the requisite experience.

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