By Sofiat Adenekan-Abdul
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five others over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract awarded during his administration.
The defendants appeared before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna in Charge No. FHC/KD/93C/2026 on an amended 11-count charge involving allegations of corruption, money laundering and related offences.
Also named in the charge are Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited. The commission further identified Bashir El-Rufai, described as an elder brother of the former governor, as being at large in connection with one of the counts.
According to the ICPC, El-Rufai approved the award of an N8.68 billion contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across Kaduna metropolis to Singularity Network Security Limited.
The anti-graft agency alleges that the company lacked the necessary qualifications and experience to execute the project and that contract funds were subsequently channelled through a network of companies and individuals.
Investigators further claim that between 2017 and 2022, the defendants received and retained more than N2 billion through multiple transactions involving the companies listed in the charge. The ICPC maintains that the funds are reasonably suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The defendants face allegations only, and no findings of guilt have been made by the court. Proceedings are expected to continue as the ICPC seeks to prove its case.
