El-Rufai Faces Court Over Financial Misconduct Charges

On Wednesday, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, appeared before two separate courts in Kaduna regarding allegations of financial misconduct and money laundering. The charges were filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).

El-Rufai, alongside his former special adviser Jimi Lawal and five corporate entities, was arraigned with an amended 11-count charge. During the arraignment, El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to the charges, while Lawal pleaded not guilty to counts six, seven, and eight.

The corporate entities were arraigned on counts two, three, four, five, nine, ten, and eleven. Counsel for El-Rufai and Lawal submitted a bail application, urging the court to grant their request.

Justice Hauwa U. Buhari adjourned the ruling on the bail application until July 1, 2026.

Additionally, El-Rufai appeared in a separate case at the Kaduna State High Court, which also involves allegations of abuse of office and money laundering, with the matter adjourned until June 29, 2026.