El-Rufai, Ex-Aide Face Trial Over Alleged N8.68bn Kaduna CCTV Contract Scam

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has brought former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, his former Senior Special Adviser and Counsellor, Jimi Lawal, and five others before the Federal High Court in Kaduna over an alleged N8.68 billion CCTV surveillance project.

The anti-corruption agency announced on Thursday that the defendants were arraigned before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari in Charge No. FHC/KD/93C/2026 on an amended 11-count charge bordering on alleged corruption, money laundering and related offences.

Besides El-Rufai and Lawal, those listed as defendants include Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited and Noble Coast Resources Limited.

The commission also identified Bashir El-Rufai, described as the former governor’s elder brother and currently at large, in one of the counts.

According to the ICPC, the alleged offences stem from the approval and execution of a contract for the procurement, survey planning, final design and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across Kaduna metropolis during El-Rufai’s administration.

The agency alleged that the N8.68 billion contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited despite the company allegedly lacking the required technical competence and experience for such a project.

Investigators further alleged that funds connected with the contract were subsequently transferred through several companies and individuals named in the charge.

The commission also accused the defendants of receiving and possessing more than N2 billion between 2017 and 2022 through a series of financial transactions allegedly linked to proceeds of unlawful activities, contrary to the provisions of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The first count of the charge reads: ‘’That you, Mallam Nasir 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 (Eight Billion, Six Hundred and Eighty-Two Million, Five Hundred and Seventy-Four Thousand, Fifty-Four Naira, Ninety-Four Kobo) to Messrs. Singularity Network Security Limited, a company with no requisite experience and in violation of procurement laws, which act you knew was unlawful and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 21(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition)Act, 2022.’’

When the charges were read before the court, both El-Rufai and his former aide, Lawal, entered pleas of not guilty.

Following their arraignment, Justice Buhari adjourned proceedings until July 1, 2026, when the court is expected to rule on their applications for bail.

Separately, the former Kaduna governor is also facing legal proceedings initiated by the Department of State Services over allegations relating to the alleged wiretapping of the phone of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.