The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission has arraigned former Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai before a Federal High Court in Kaduna over allegations of money laundering involving N579 million and $320,800.
El-Rufai was brought to court under heavy security on Tuesday morning, with proceedings commencing shortly after his arrival. The charges against him center on allegations of financial misconduct, including the unlawful receipt of funds significantly exceeding his legally approved severance benefits.
According to prosecutors, the former governor allegedly received two separate payments of N289.8 million each in September 2020 and January 2023 as severance allowances, bringing the total to about N579 million, far above the legally permitted amount of roughly N20 million.
The prosecution further alleges that El-Rufai knowingly accepted funds suspected to be proceeds of unlawful activities, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. Additional counts claim he received multiple foreign currency inflows into his domiciliary account with Guaranty Trust Bank from various individuals, raising concerns about possible illicit transfers and concealment of funds. The arraignment is part of a broader investigation into alleged financial crimes and abuse of office during his tenure as governor.
The case follows a series of legal actions involving multiple security agencies. Earlier, the Department of State Services filed charges against El-Rufai over alleged unlawful interception of communications linked to the Office of the National Security Adviser. He was subsequently invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, detained after honoring the invitation on February 16, and granted bail two days later.
Shortly after his release, he was taken into custody by the ICPC, signaling continued legal scrutiny across agencies. Proceedings in the case are ongoing at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
