Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday morning under tight security for his arraignment over alleged corruption-related offences.
El-Rufai was brought to the court premises at about 9:00 am in a Hilux vehicle and remained inside for over 30 minutes before being escorted into the courtroom at approximately 9:34 am.
Dressed in a light green babanriga with a matching cap, he was heavily guarded as operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission and the Department of State Services formed a protective cordon around him.
Journalists who arrived at the venue as early as 7:00 am to cover the proceedings were barred from gaining access to the courtroom by DSS operatives.
Security had earlier been intensified around the court premises located at the old Nigerian Defence Academy, with heavily armed personnel deployed from the early hours. The security team comprised operatives of the DSS, the Nigeria Police Force, the Mobile Police Force, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Vehicular movement in the area was restricted, forcing motorists into a single lane from the Ungwan Sarki axis through Kawo, leading to traffic disruptions.
The ICPC had earlier announced that it would arraign El-Rufai alongside Joel Adoga in suit number FHC/KD/73/2026. According to the agency, the charges include 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-Rufa’i, and one Joel Adoga at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Kaduna Judicial Division on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. The charges range from conversion of and possession of public property to money laundering,” the commission said in a statement.
The commission also disclosed that a separate charge, marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/26, had been filed against El-Rufai and one Amadu Sule before a Kaduna State High Court. The charges in the state case include abuse of office, fraud, intent to commit fraud, and conferring undue advantage.
Both charges were filed on March 18, 2026. The date for arraignment in the state court will be communicated later.
The arraignment follows mounting pressure from stakeholders, including the African Democratic Congress, which had demanded either his release or arraignment, describing his continued detention without formal charges as unconstitutional.
El-Rufai was initially detained by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on February 16, 2026, granted bail on February 18, and subsequently re-arrested by the ICPC. He had since remained in custody pending his arraignment.
