By Nchetachi Chukwuajah
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed an amended nine-count charge against the former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption.
El-Rufai’s counsel, Ukpong Abang, disclosed this to journalists shortly after proceedings at the Kaduna State High Court on Monday, April 13.
According to Abang, the anti-graft agency amended the charges, dropping one of the earlier defendants and leaving El-Rufai as the sole defendant in the case.
He said that at the resumed sitting on Monday, the court took the plea of the former governor and also entertained his bail application.
The lawyer added that the amended charges were given to the defense team while it was already in court, which was why the matter could not proceed to a hearing.
“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 added that the defence team would carefully examine the amended charges before taking further steps.
“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.
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The court subsequently adjourned the case to Tuesday, April 14, for ruling on the bail application.
The ICPC, in the charge marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026, alleged that El-Rufai committed multiple offences during his tenure as governor.
In Count One, the anti-graft agency accused the former governor of inducing the Kaduna State Government in 2016 to confer a benefit of N11 billion on Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project allegedly not executed.
Counts Two and Three in teh case filed by the ICPC alleged that he used his office to approve and receive severance benefits of about N289.8 million, above the legally approved N20 million.
In Count Four, the ICPC alleged that El-Rufai dishonestly disposed of over $1 million, said to be part of a World Bank loan to Kaduna State, in violation of the loan agreement.
Count Five accused him of conspiring with others still at large to offer inducement to federal investigators in a bid to compromise an ongoing probe.
Other counts in the amended nine-count charge bordered on alleged violations 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 Amadu Sule on allegations of abuse of office, fraud, attempted fraud, and granting of undue advantage.
