The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is scheduled to formally arraign former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, today, Tuesday, March 24, 2026, at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, for various offences.
The legal proceedings involve two separate cases filed by the anti-graft agency following El-Rufai’s detention since February.
One of the cases filed with Suit: FHC/KD/73/2026 filed at the Federal High Court, Kaduna, El-Rufai, and co-defendant, Joel Adoga, were charged with offences ranging from money laundering to conversion and possession of public property.
In another case filed at the Kaduna State High Court (suit KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26), which has Ahmadu Sule as co-defendant, El-Rufai was charged with offences ranging from abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
Both charges were filed by the ICPC on March 18, 2026.
According to a statement released by the ICPC on Monday, El-Rufai and Joel Adoga will be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Kaduna today.
The statement signed by ICPC spokesperson John Okor Odey said the date for the arraignment of El-Rufai and Amadu Sule (LEDA) in the separate case filed against them before the Kaduna State High Court is yet to be fixed. ICPC said the specific date for the State High Court proceedings is expected to be announced soon.
“The ICPC wishes to inform the public that Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i has been duly served.
“The ICPC restates its commitment to adhering fully to due process and the rule of law at all times,” the Commission stated.
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El-Rufai, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has been in ICPC custody since February 18, 2026, shortly after being released on bail by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). His legal team and political allies, including members of the ADC, have described the prolonged detention as “political persecution.”
Former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has called on the federal government to release El-Rufai and other political detainees, saying the government could not continue to detain people because they shared different political views.
Financial Allegations
The charges include questions regarding the management of a $1.08 million World Bank loan obtained during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
The former governor was charged by the commission with deceiving the Kaduna State government into paying N11 billion to an unregistered company called Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited for a light rail project that was never carried out.
Additionally, he was accused of approving and receiving severance payments totaling N289.8 million on two separate occasions in 2020 and 2023—much more than his legal right of roughly N20 million.
