The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed an amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, over alleged fraud, abuse of office and corruption.
Ukpong Abang, Lead Counsel to the former governor, told reporters after the proceedings that the prosecution amended the charges, dropping one of the earlier defendants and leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the case.
According to him, at the resumed sitting of the Kaduna State High Court, the court took the plea of El-Rufai and heard his bail application.
“The charges are entirely new to us. They were given to us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed to a hearing.”
Abang added that the defence team would study the amended charges and respond accordingly.
“We will analyse the charges and make our position known. For now, there is nothing we can do until we have fully reviewed them,” he said.
“The matter was adjourned to Tuesday, April 14, for ruling on the bail application.”
In the charge marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, the ICPC alleged that El-Rufai committed multiple offences during his tenure as governor.
In Count One, the former governor is accused of inducing the Kaduna State Government in 2016 to confer a benefit of ₦11 billion on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project, which was allegedly never executed.
Counts Two and Three allege that he used his office to approve and receive severance benefits of about ₦289.8 million, above the legally approved ₦20 million.
In Count Four, the prosecution alleged that El-Rufai dishonestly disposed of over $1 million, said to be part of a World Bank loan to Kaduna State, in violation of the loan agreement.
Count Five accuses him of conspiring with others now at large to offer inducement to federal investigators in a bid to compromise an ongoing investigation.
Other counts relate to alleged violations of procurement laws in the award of a multi-billion naira CCTV contract, conferring undue advantage on associates, and unlawful land allocations.
The matter was adjourned to Tuesday, April 14, for ruling on the bail application.
Credit: The Sun