Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has been arraigned by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on a sweeping 10-count charge that includes allegations of abuse of office, money laundering, diversion of World Bank funds, irregular contract awards worth billions of naira, land fraud, and conspiracy to obstruct justice by allegedly offering financial inducements to investigators in Nigeria and abroad, including in Dubai and Cairo.
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The court adjourned the bail hearing to March 31, 2026, after both the defence and prosecution concluded arguments on El-Rufai’s application for release pending trial, leaving the former governor to remain in custody for at least another week.
The full outline of the 10 charges reveals the breadth and severity of the allegations against El-Rufai, spanning his eight-year tenure as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023.
Charge 1: Excessive Severance Payment (Abuse Of Office)
El-Rufai allegedly approved and received N289.8 million as severance benefits upon leaving office — far above the lawful entitlement of approximately N20 million. The charge suggests the former governor used his position to authorise a payment to himself that was more than 14 times the legitimate amount.
Charge 2: Money Laundering (Federal High Court)
El-Rufai is accused of receiving funds he was not entitled to, including suspicious financial inflows linked to unlawful sources. This charge forms the basis of the Federal High Court prosecution in Suit No. FHC/KD/73/2026.
Charge 3: Receipt Of Foreign Currency From Questionable Sources
The former governor allegedly received foreign currency payments traced to individuals and entities connected to illicit activities. This charge suggests the ICPC’s investigation uncovered international financial flows linked to El-Rufai.
Charge 4: Diversion Of World Bank Funds (Criminal Breach Of Trust)
More than $1 million from a World Bank loan was allegedly diverted and misused contrary to the agreed terms. This charge is particularly significant as it involves international development funds meant for specific projects in Kaduna State.
Charge 5: Irregular Award Of N11 Billion Light Rail Contract
El-Rufai allegedly approved funds for a light rail project awarded to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Ltd, a company allegedly not properly registered, for a project that was never executed. The N11 billion contract represents one of the largest single transactions in the charges.
Charge 6: Procurement Breach — N4.61 Billion CCTV Contract
The former governor allegedly approved a CCTV contract to Singularity Network Security Ltd in violation of Kaduna State procurement laws. The N4.61 billion contract raises questions about compliance with public procurement regulations.
Charge 7: Undue Advantage In $22.475 Million Contract
El-Rufai allegedly used his office to confer improper benefit on Singularity Network Security Ltd — the same company from Charge 6 — through another contract valued at $22.475 million. The charge suggests a pattern of favouring a specific company for multiple high-value contracts.
Charge 8: Land Fraud And False Representation
The former governor allegedly conspired with an associate, Ahmadu Sule, and companies to submit false information to acquire land along the Kaduna-Zaria Expressway. This charge connects to the separate State High Court charge filed against El-Rufai and Sule.
Charge 9: Unlawful Revocation And Reallocation Of Land
El-Rufai allegedly revoked a valid Certificate of Occupancy belonging to one Mohammed Umar Karage and reallocated the land to associates, amounting to abuse of office and breach of trust.
Charge 10: Attempt To Obstruct Justice (Conspiracy)
In perhaps the most explosive allegation, El-Rufai allegedly conspired to offer financial inducements to investigators in Nigeria and abroad — including in Dubai and Cairo — to influence investigators probing the Singularity contracts referenced in Charges 6 and 7. This charge suggests the former governor attempted to interfere with the ICPC’s investigation through bribery across international borders.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, defence counsel Ukpon Akpan pressed for bail, maintaining that his client is entitled to freedom under the law and requires adequate access to prepare his defence against the charges.
The prosecution opposed the application, contending that the severity of the charges warrants continued detention. The prosecution further argued that releasing El-Rufai at this stage could jeopardise ongoing investigations — an argument that gains particular weight in light of Charge 10’s allegation that the former governor previously attempted to obstruct justice by offering inducements to investigators.
The court reserved its decision on the bail application for March 31, 2026, meaning El-Rufai will remain in custody for at least another week while the judge considers the arguments.
After the proceedings, El-Rufai left the court under the same tight security that characterised his arrival. He had been brought to the court at approximately 9:00 a.m. in a Hilux vehicle, escorted by ICPC and DSS operatives, and dressed in a light green babanriga with a matching cap.
Journalists who arrived as early as 7:00 a.m. were barred from the courtroom by DSS operatives, meaning the details of the proceedings were not directly observed by the media.
In addition to the Federal High Court charges, the ICPC has filed a separate charge at the Kaduna State High Court (KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26) against El-Rufai and Amadu Sule (LEDA) on charges including abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage. The arraignment date for the state court charge will be communicated by the court.
The 10 charges paint a picture of alleged systematic corruption spanning multiple sectors of governance during El-Rufai’s two-term tenure. The combined value of the transactions in question runs into tens of billions of naira and tens of millions of dollars, involving contracts for CCTV systems, a light rail project, severance payments, World Bank funds, land transactions, and foreign currency flows.
The allegation of attempting to obstruct justice by offering inducements to investigators in Dubai and Cairo suggests the case has international dimensions that could involve cooperation with foreign law enforcement agencies.
El-Rufai had been in ICPC custody for over 30 days before Tuesday’s arraignment. He was initially detained by the EFCC on February 16, 2026, granted bail after 48 hours, and immediately re-arrested by the ICPC. He has multiple pending legal proceedings across several courts, including a fundamental rights suit claiming N1 billion in damages, a bail application, and challenges to his remand order.
The case is expected to be one of the most significant corruption prosecutions in Nigeria in 2026. The next hearing is fixed for March 31, 2026, when the court will deliver its ruling on the bail application.
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