The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a fresh amended charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, listing nine counts bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption.
Counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, disclosed the development to journalists after proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, revealing that the prosecution had revised its case.
According to him, one of the previously listed defendants had been dropped, leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the matter.
Abang explained that during the resumed hearing, the court took his client’s plea and also heard arguments on 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 said.
He noted that the defence would need time to properly examine the amended charges before responding.
“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 stated.
Following the submissions, the court adjourned proceedings to Tuesday, April 14, to rule on the bail request.
In the amended charge marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, the anti-graft agency accused El-Rufai of committing several offences during his time in office.
Among the allegations, the ICPC claimed in Count One that the former governor induced the Kaduna State Government in 2016 to confer an N11bn benefit on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was allegedly never executed.
Counts Two and Three accused him of using his office to approve and receive severance benefits totalling about N289.8m, exceeding the legally approved N20m.
In Count Four, the prosecution alleged that El-Rufai dishonestly disposed of over $1m from a World Bank loan granted to Kaduna State, in breach of the loan agreement.
Count Five further alleged that he conspired with individuals still at large to offer inducements to federal investigators in an attempt to compromise an ongoing probe.
Other charges include alleged breaches of procurement laws in the award of a multi-billion-naira CCTV contract, conferring undue advantage on associates, and unlawful land allocations.
The ICPC had earlier arraigned El-Rufai before Justice Darius Khobo alongside businessman Amadu Sule on similar allegations of fraud, abuse of office, and undue advantage.
The former governor had remained in ICPC custody from February 19 until March 28, when he was granted temporary release on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s burial.
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