ICPC Arraigns El-Rufai, Ex-Aide Over Alleged N8.68bn CCTV Contract Fraud

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five companies over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV contract fraud and related money laundering offences.

In a statement signed by the Head of Media and Public Communications of the ICPC, J. Okor Odey, the commission said the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna on an 11-count amended charge bordering on corruption, money laundering and related offences.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the amended charge, marked FHC/KD/93C/2026, names El-Rufai as the first defendant alongside Jimi Adebisi Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The commission also stated that Bashir El-Rufai, described as an elder brother of the former governor and currently at large, was mentioned in one of the counts.

ICPC alleged that while serving as governor of Kaduna State, El-Rufai approved the award of a contract worth N8,682,574,054.94 for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system in Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited.

Quoting from the amended charge, the commission stated: “That you, MALLAM NASIR AHMAD 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 to Messrs. Singularity Network Security Limited, a company with no requisite experience and in violation of procurement laws, which act you knew was unlawful.”

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The commission further alleged that proceeds arising from the contract were subsequently transferred through various companies and individuals, with several transactions involving sums running into billions of naira.

According to the statement, the amended charge specifically accused the defendants of knowingly receiving and taking possession of more than N2 billion through transactions involving Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited between 2017 and 2022.

ICPC maintained that the alleged offences are contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

When the charges were read in court, both El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty.

Following their pleas, Justice Buhari adjourned the matter until July 1, 2026, for ruling on the defendants’ bail applications.