ICPC Arraingns El Rufai, Six Others Over N8.68 Billion CCTV Surveillance Contract

Again, former Governor of Kaduna state, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was in court on Thursday following his arraignment by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC).

He was arraigned along with his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsel, Jimi Lawal, and five others over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration.

The Commission also named Bashir El-Rufai, identified as an elder brother of the former governor and currently at large, in one of the counts.

The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement published on its website on Thursday, stating that the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, in Charge No. FHC/KD/93C/2026.

According to the commission, the amended 11-count charge borders on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.

The ICPC listed El-Rufai as the first defendant alongside Lawal, Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

According to the ICPC, El-Rufai, while serving as governor, approved the award of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television surveillance  system in Kaduna metropolis valued at N8.68 billion to Singularity Network Security Limited.

The agency alleged that the company lacked the requisite experience and qualifications required for the contract and that funds linked to the project were subsequently transferred through a network of companies and individuals.

The commission further alleged that the defendants received and possessed funds exceeding N2 billion between 2017 and 2022 through a series of transactions involving the companies named in the charge.

It said the funds were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities and that the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.