Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has filed an amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, intensifying ongoing legal proceedings over alleged corruption and abuse of office.
The amended charges were presented on Monday at the Kaduna State High Court, where El-Rufai was formally arraigned and his plea taken. His counsel, Ukpong Abang, confirmed to journalists that the prosecution revised the case, removing a co-defendant and leaving the former governor as the sole defendant.
According to the defence, the updated charges were only served in court on the same day, a development that stalled immediate trial proceedings. Abang noted that the legal team would require time to review the fresh allegations before responding substantively in court.
The presiding judge subsequently adjourned the matter to April 14, 2026, to deliver a ruling on El-Rufai’s bail application after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence.
Details of the charge, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, outline a series of alleged financial and administrative infractions said to have occurred during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor. The ICPC accuses him of fraud, abuse of office, and corrupt enrichment tied to multiple government transactions.
One of the key allegations claims that in 2016, El-Rufai induced the Kaduna State Government to approve a payment of about ₦11 billion to a joint venture linked to a light rail project that was allegedly never executed.
Other counts allege that the former governor approved and received severance benefits totalling roughly ₦289.8 million, far exceeding the legally approved amount of about ₦20 million. The ICPC also claims he improperly handled over $1 million from a World Bank loan meant for the state.
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Additional charges include allegations of conspiracy to influence federal investigators, violations of procurement laws in the award of major contracts, unlawful land allocations, and conferring undue advantage on associates.
El-Rufai has pleaded not guilty to the charges. His legal team maintains that they will thoroughly examine the amended counts before outlining their defence strategy as the case progresses.
The case adds to a series of legal challenges facing the former governor, with parallel proceedings reportedly ongoing in federal courts on related allegations. The outcome of the bail ruling is expected to shape the next phase of what is likely to be a closely watched anti-corruption trial in Nigeria.
