ICPC files fresh N10.8bn charges against El-Rufai, seven others over Kaduna CCTV contract

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has filed a third set of criminal charges against former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and seven others over alleged fraud and money laundering linked to a N10.8 billion CCTV security project.

Court documents filed at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on April 17 show the ICPC brought 11 counts under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The commission alleged that El-Rufai approved the award of an N8.68 billion CCTV contract in December 2015 to a company it claims lacked the required competence, and that several large sums were received and transferred between 2017 and 2022 by individuals and companies linked to the project, including Singularity Network Security Limited.

Others named in the case include former Kaduna State government official Jimi Lawal, senior executives of IHS Towers, and five companies. One of El-Rufai’s sons, Bashir El-Rufai, was mentioned in the allegations but is not listed as a defendant.

The development was disclosed by former Kaduna Commissioner of Information and Liberty Television chairman, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, in a Facebook post, in which he said the accused persons would face the new charges soon.

This is the third set of charges filed by the ICPC against El-Rufai since March. He is already facing separate corruption-related cases involving a light rail contract and severance payments, all of which he has denied.

The State Security Service and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission are also independently investigating or prosecuting him over separate allegations.