Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, was on Tuesday brought before the Federal High Court in Kaduna under heavy security for arraignment over alleged corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai arrived at the court premises around 9:00 a.m. in a Hilux vehicle and remained inside for several minutes before being escorted into the courtroom at about 9:34 a.m.
Dressed in a light green babanriga and matching cap, the former governor was surrounded by security operatives as he made his way into the courtroom. Personnel of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Department of State Services (DSS) formed a tight security cordon around him.
Journalists who had gathered as early as 7:00 a.m. to cover the proceedings were denied access to the courtroom by DSS operatives, raising concerns about transparency.
Security presence around the court, located within the old Nigerian Defence Academy area, was significantly heightened, with armed operatives from multiple agencies deployed. These included the DSS, the Nigeria Police Force, the Mobile Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Vehicular movement in the area was also restricted, forcing traffic into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki axis through Kawo, leading to congestion.
The arraignment follows an earlier announcement by the ICPC that El-Rufai would be prosecuted alongside Joel Adoga in a case filed before the Federal High Court.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, John Odey, the commission disclosed that the charges against the former governor include alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
The ICPC further revealed that a separate case involving El-Rufai and another individual, Amadu Sule, had been filed before a Kaduna State High Court. The charges in that case reportedly include abuse of office, fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
According to the commission, both cases were instituted on March 18, 2026, with the date for the state court arraignment yet to be announced.
El-Rufai’s arraignment comes amid mounting pressure from stakeholders, including political groups and civil society organisations, who had called for either his release or formal prosecution following his detention.
The former governor was initially arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in February, granted bail shortly after, and later re-arrested by the ICPC, remaining in custody until his court appearance on Tuesday.
