Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai arrives Kaduna Federal High Court under tight security for corruption-related arraignment.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday morning arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna under heavy security for his arraignment over alleged corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai was conveyed to the court premises at about 9:00 a.m. in a Hilux vehicle and remained inside for over 30 minutes before being escorted into the courtroom at approximately 9:34 a.m.
He was dressed in a light green babanriga with a matching cap and was heavily guarded as operatives 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.
The court environment, located at the old Nigerian Defence Academy axis, was placed under strict security lockdown from early morning, with personnel drawn from the DSS, Nigeria Police Force, Mobile Police, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Vehicular movement around the area was restricted, leading to traffic congestion along the Ungwan Sarki–Kawo corridor as commuters were forced into a single lane.
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Journalists who arrived as early as 7:00 a.m. to cover proceedings were denied access to the courtroom by DSS operatives, raising further concerns about media access in high-profile judicial proceedings.
The arraignment follows a formal announcement by the ICPC that El-Rufai would be charged alongside one Joel Adoga in suit number FHC/KD/73/2026 before the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
According to the commission, the charges border on alleged conversion and possession of public property, as well as money laundering.
“The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission is set to arraign the former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, and one Joel Adoga… The charges range from conversion of and possession of public property to money laundering,” the agency said in a statement.
The ICPC also confirmed that a separate case, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, had been filed against El-Rufai and one Amadu Sule at the Kaduna State High Court, involving allegations of abuse of office, fraud, and undue advantage.
The commission further stated that both cases were filed on March 18, 2026, and assured that El-Rufai had been duly served, stressing its commitment to due process and the rule of law.
The development has continued to generate reactions from stakeholders, including political and civil society groups who have called for transparency, either through prosecution or release, citing constitutional concerns over prolonged detention without trial.
El-Rufai was first arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, 2026, granted bail on February 18, and later re-arrested by the ICPC, where he has remained in custody pending arraignment.
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