Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, is currently facing multiple corruption charges filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in both the Kaduna State High Court and the Federal High Court. The legal proceedings have involved amendments to charges, bail applications, and separate allegations across the two judicial bodies.

At the Kaduna State High Court, El-Rufai was re-arraigned on nine amended corruption charges after the prosecution struck out the name of a co-defendant, Ahmadu Sule (also identified as Amadu Suleiman, Managing Director of TMDK Terminal Limited). This removal was reportedly due to the co-defendant's continued absence on medical grounds, making El-Rufai the sole defendant. Mr. El-Rufai pleaded not guilty to all charges. The charges in this court are brought under several laws, including the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006, the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, the Kaduna State Penal Code, and the Kaduna State Public Procurement Law.

Key allegations in the State High Court include that in December 2016, while serving as governor, Mr. El-Rufai allegedly used false pretences to induce the Kaduna State Government to pay N11 billion to Indokaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited, described by the commission as an unregistered entity, for a light rail project that was never executed. He is also accused of using his office to confer a corrupt advantage on himself. Further counts allege that in January 2023, Mr. El-Rufai received N289.8 million as severance allowance, significantly exceeding the legally approved sum of about N20 million, an act deemed contrary to the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022. The ICPC also alleges that between September 2017 and March 2023, he received various foreign currency sums into his Guaranty Trust Bank domiciliary account from individuals like Joel Adoga ($320,800), Peter Akagu Jones ($155,800), and Ajayi Ayodele ($305,300), which the commission claims were proceeds of corruption or unlawful activity. Additional allegations include receiving $5,000 each in April and June 2016 from different individuals as proceeds of unlawful activity, and concealing the origin of other foreign currency sums following the amendment of the charge.

Following a bail application hearing, Justice Darius Khobo of the Kaduna State High Court initially adjourned the ruling to April 14. However, due to the trial judge's bereavement, the ruling was subsequently postponed to April 21, 2026. The court ordered Mr. El-Rufai to remain in ICPC custody pending the decision. His defense lawyer, Ubong Abang (also referred to as Ubong Akpan, SAN), highlighted that the amended charges were new and required time for his team to review before the trial could proceed.

Concurrently, a separate set of 10 corruption charges by the ICPC is being heard at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. These federal charges accuse Mr. El-Rufai of taking inflated severance pays after completing his first and second terms as governor in 2019 and 2023, and taking suspicious $817,900 funds, all brought under the money laundering law. At the Federal High Court, Justice Rilwan Aikawa had set April 14 for the ruling on the former governor's bail application after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defense on April 1. In an update, his son, Hon Bello El-Rufai, and a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Hayatudeen Lawal Makarfi, confirmed that a Federal High Court in Kaduna has granted bail to Mr. El-Rufai. He is expected to remain in the ICPC's custody until the stipulated bail conditions are met.

Mr. El-Rufai has consistently denied any wrongdoing, describing the actions against him as politically motivated. The ICPC had previously released him on compassionate grounds in March after the death of his mother, before his re-arraignment. He also faces ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over related allegations.