ICPC arraigns El-Rufai, ex-aide over N8.6bn CCTV contract fraud

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, along with his ex-aide Jimi Lawal and five others, faces arraignment over an alleged N8.68 billion fraud related to a CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) brought the charges before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

The amended 11-count charge encompasses allegations of corruption, money laundering, and other offenses. The defendants include 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, is also named in one of the counts and is reportedly at large.

According to the ICPC, El-Rufai, while in office, approved the contract for the CCTV system to Singularity Network Security Limited, a company allegedly lacking the necessary experience. The commission further claims that funds linked to the project were funneled through a network of companies and individuals, with defendants allegedly receiving and possessing over N2 billion between 2017 and 2022 through suspicious transactions. These actions are said to contravene the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.

Both El-Rufai and Lawal entered pleas of not guilty when the charges were read. The court has adjourned the case to July 1, 2026, for further proceedings.

“

That you, Mallam Nasir 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 and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022.