El-Rufai Arraigned on Nine Corruption Counts in Kaduna Court

Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai appeared before the Kaduna State High Court on Monday for proceedings in a corruption case brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The anti-graft agency amended its charges against him to nine counts alleging fraud, abuse of office, and related offenses committed during his tenure from 2015 to 2023, making El-Rufai the sole defendant after dropping a previous co-accused.

The court took El-Rufai's plea on the amended charges during the session and heard arguments on his bail application, but adjourned the matter to Tuesday for a ruling. Counsel for the former governor, Ukpong Abang, told journalists outside the courtroom that the defense received the revised charges that morning and needed time to review them. "The charges are entirely new to us," Abang said. "We will analyze the charges and make our position known. For now, there is nothing we can do until we have fully reviewed them."

The allegations center on several financial irregularities. Prosecutors claim El-Rufai induced the Kaduna State Government in 2016 to award a contract worth 11 billion naira to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria...