From Victor Osula, Abuja
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), on Monday, filed a fresh amended nine-count charge against former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, before the Kaduna State High Court, even as the court adjourned ruling on his bail application till April 14, 2026.
At the resumed sitting, the prosecution presented the amended charge sheet, which now lists El-Rufai as the sole defendant after one of the earlier defendants was dropped from the case.
While the development led to his formal arraignment, proceedings were, however, slowed by objections from the defence over the timing and service of the amended charge.
Lead counsel to the former governor, Ukpong Abang, told journalists after the court sitting that the defence team was served with the fresh charges only on the morning of the proceedings, describing it as a challenge to effective preparation.
“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, adding that the defence would require time to study the revised allegations before responding appropriately.
“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.
The amended charge, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, stems from allegations of fraud, abuse of office, and corruption allegedly committed during El-Rufai’s tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
In Count One, the ICPC alleged that in 2016, El-Rufai induced the Kaduna State Government to approve a benefit of ₦11 billion to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was reportedly never executed.
Counts Two and Three accuse him of approving and receiving severance benefits amounting to about ₦289.8 million, allegedly above the legally permitted ₦20 million threshold.
In Count Four, the prosecution alleged that he dishonestly disposed of over $1 million, said to be part of a World Bank loan to Kaduna State, in violation of the terms of the facility.
Count Five alleges conspiracy with persons at large to offer inducement to federal investigators in a bid to compromise an ongoing probe.
Other counts in the amended charge border on alleged breaches of procurement regulations in a multi-billion-naira CCTV contract, alleged conferral of undue advantage on associates, and alleged irregularities in land allocations.
Following arguments from both sides, the court adjourned ruling on the bail application to Tuesday, April 14, 2026, while the substantive proceedings are expected to continue thereafter.
