From Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed an amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption.
At the resumed hearing at the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, the court took El-Rufai’s plea and considered his bail application.
Lead counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, told journalists after the proceedings that the prosecution had amended the charges, dropping one of the original defendants and leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the case.
“The charges are entirely new to us. They were served on us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed to hearing,” Abang stated. He added that the defence team would review the amended charges and respond accordingly.
“We will analyse the charges and make our position known. For now, there is nothing we can do until we have fully reviewed them,” he said.
In the charge marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, the ICPC alleged that El-Rufai committed several offences during his tenure as governor. Count One accuses the former governor of persuading the Kaduna State Government in 2016 to confer a benefit of N11 billion on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was reportedly never completed.
Counts Two and Three allege that he used his office to approve and receive severance benefits totalling about N289.8 million, far exceeding the legally approved N20 million.
Count Four alleges that El-Rufai unlawfully disposed of over $1 million, believed to be part of a World Bank loan to Kaduna State, in violation of the loan agreement.
Count Five accuses him of conspiring with others now at large to influence federal investigators through inducements, in an attempt to interfere with an ongoing investigation.
Other counts relate to alleged violations of procurement laws in the award of a multi-billion-naira CCTV contract, the provision of undue advantages to associates, and unlawful land allocations.
The case was adjourned until Tuesday, April 14, for a ruling on the bail application.
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