*Drags El-Rufai, ex-Aide, Lawal to Court over alleged N8.7bn Kaduna CCTV contract scandal
*Alleges that El-Rufai unlawfully approved award of contract valued at ₦8.68bn
*That contract was awarded to company that lack required qualifications, experience
*Former Gov El-Rufai, Jimi Lawal pleaded not guilty to all charges.
By Bimbo Aderenl
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arraigned former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, alongside his former aide, Jimi Lawal, and five companies over an alleged ₦8.7 billion CCTV surveillance contract fraud.
The anti-corruption agency filed an amended 11-count charge against the defendants, accusing them of corruption, money laundering, and related offences.
Also listed in the case are Singularity Network Security Limited, Solar Life Nigeria Limited, Knowledge Investment Nigeria Limited, Intercellular Nigeria Limited, and Noble Coast Resources Limited. Bashir El-Rufai, identified by the ICPC as the former governor’s elder brother, was mentioned in one of the charges and is reportedly at large.
The defendants appeared before Justice Hauwa’u Buhari of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
According to the amended charge sheet, the ICPC alleged that El-Rufai unlawfully approved the award of a contract valued at ₦8.68 billion for the procurement, planning, design, and installation of a Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance system across Kaduna metropolis.
The commission claimed the contract was awarded to Singularity Network Security Limited despite the company allegedly lacking the required qualifications and experience, in violation of public procurement regulations.
The commission further alleged that the defendants knowingly received and controlled more than ₦2 billion through a series of transactions involving the companies between 2017 and 2022.
El-Rufai and Lawal pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following their arraignment, the court adjourned proceedings until July 1, 2026, when it is expected to rule on their bail applications.
It would be recalled that El-Rufai served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023. During his administration, Lawal held several key positions, including Senior Adviser to the Governor, Counsellor at the Kaduna Economic Development Council, and Special Adviser during El-Rufai’s first term in office.
