El-Rufai Arrives Court for Bail Application
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai appeared at the Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday for a bail application following a nine-count charge of fraud and abuse of office. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alleges that El-Rufai presided over a series of financial infractions during his tenure, including a ghost light rail project. Journalists were barred from the courtroom, a move that heightens the tension surrounding the highest-profile corruption trial in the North this year.
The most serious charge involves the alleged release of N11bn to an unregistered entity for a light rail project that was never executed. Prosecutors claim the funds were diverted under the guise of infrastructure development. This allegation sits alongside claims that El-Rufai mismanaged $1.08m from a World Bank loan, violating the terms of the international agreement. These charges suggest a systemic disregard for procurement laws and fiscal oversight during his administration.
The ICPC also accused the former governor of personal enrichment. Specifically, he is alleged to have approved and received N289.8m as a severance allowance, despite a legal entitlement of only N20m. Furthermore, the commission claims he conspired with an associate to offer bribes to federal investigators in an attempt to compromise an ongoing probe into a private firm. These details paint a picture of a governor who viewed state resources and federal agents as tools for personal and political preservation.
Procedural delays hampered Tuesday’s session. Defence counsel Ubong Akpan (SAN) revealed that the ICPC filed an amended charge just as the hearing began, removing a co-defendant, Amadu Sule, and leaving El-Rufai to face the trial alone. Akpan argued that the defence required time to review these “entirely new” charges, leading to a temporary stall in the proceedings. The presiding judge, Darius Khobo, had previously earmarked this date for the bail application, which remains the immediate hurdle for the former governor.
Beyond the rail project and severance pay, the indictment covers a N4.6bn CCTV contract in the Kaduna metropolis. Prosecutors allege the contract was awarded in total disregard of procurement laws to confer an undue advantage on an associate. El-Rufai has denied all allegations, maintaining that the charges are politically motivated. His legal team is expected to challenge the validity of the evidence once the bail application is decided.
The legal pressure on El-Rufai is expanding. After the proceedings in the state court, he is expected to be moved to the Federal High Court to face separate charges also filed by the ICPC. This multi-court strategy by the commission indicates a broad-based effort to hold the former governor accountable for his eight-year rule. For a man who once built his reputation on ruthless efficiency, these allegations of phantom projects and inflated bonuses threaten to rewrite his political legacy.