Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, and six other defendants have pleaded not guilty to an 11-count charge of alleged corruption and money laundering brought against them by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during El-Rufai’s administration.
According to the ICPC, the former governor allegedly approved the contract in 2015 in favour of Singularity Network Security Limited despite claims that the company lacked the required qualifications and experience to execute the project.
The anti-graft agency further alleged that more than N2 billion, suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, was transferred through several companies between 2017 and 2022.
Those charged alongside El-Rufai include his former Senior Special Adviser, Jimi Lawal, and several corporate entities linked to the transaction. Bashir El-Rufai, identified as the former governor’s elder brother, was also mentioned in one of the counts and is reportedly at large.
Following their not-guilty plea, Justice Buhari adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, to rule on the defendants’ bail applications.
The case is expected to be attended.
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