El-Rufai’s new counsel apologises to court, withdraws ‘combative’ applications
Paul Erokoro (SAN), the newly appointed lead counsel to the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday apologized to the Kaduna State High Court for what he termed the “combative” approach of his client’s previous legal team.
Erokoro subsequently sought and obtained the permission of the court to withdraw three separate applications previously filed on behalf of the former governor in his ongoing high-profile corruption trial.
The senior advocate informed the presiding judge, Justice Darius Khobo, that after taking over El-Rufai’s defense, a painstaking review of the pending motions revealed a confrontational tone that he could not professionally adopt. He requested a brief adjournment to enable him properly present a fresh, restructured application.
Prosecution alleges delay tactics
The development, however, did not sit well with the prosecution team. Speaking to journalists shortly after the court session, one of the prosecution counsels, Ibrahim Muktar, criticized the defense’s strategy, describing it as a deliberate ploy to frustrate and drag out the commencement of the trial.
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Muktar revealed that between the last adjourned date and Wednesday’s proceedings, the defense had filed two additional applications demanding that Justice Khobo recuse himself from the case.
“A charge has been filed, the prosecution is ready, but the defense is bringing multiple applications, and that is what is destroying time and frustrating the prosecution from commencing trial,” Muktar said. “We would have gone far if not for these applications.
The matter came up on July 6 for hearing with all our witnesses present; however, they keep bringing series of motions aimed at stalling.”
Court documents obtained regarding the trial show that the Federal Government, through the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), has leveled an amended nine-count charge (marked KDH/KAD/ICPC/01/2026) against El-Rufai.
The allegations span fraud, criminal breach of trust, procurement violations, and abuse of office during his tenure as governor.
The core allegations in the charge sheet include a N11bn rail project where El-Rufai is accused of inducing the Kaduna State Government in December 2016 to award an N11 billion light rail construction contract to Indokaduna Mrts JV Nigeria Limited—an entity the prosecution claims is unregistered. The project was allegedly never executed.
There was also the inflated severance allowance where the prosecution alleges that between September 2020 and January 2023, El-Rufai unlawfully approved and received N289.8 million as a severance package, far above the N20 million (300% of his basic salary) he was legally entitled to.
Diversion of World Bank loan is another allegation. The former governor is accused of dishonestly disposing of $1.085 million between March and November 2022, which was part of a World Bank loan acquired by the state.
In a striking count, the prosecution alleges that in October 2025, El-Rufai and his son, Bashir Ahmad El-Rufai (said to be currently at large), conspired in Dubai and Cairo to offer financial inducements to investigators probing Singularity Network Security Limited.
The state further alleges procurement violations in a contract for the installation of CCTV cameras in Kaduna metropolis. El-Rufai is accused of inflating the contract to $22.475 million to confer an unfair advantage on Singularity Network Security Limited, against state procurement laws.
He is also accused of unlawfully revoking a parcel of land along the Kaduna-Zaria Express Bypass belonging to one Muhammed Umar Karage and reallocating it to companies linked to an associate, Amadu Sule.
The federal government’s prosecution team is being led by top officials of the ICPC, including Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha (Head of the High Profile Prosecution Department), Ngozi Onwuka, and Dr. Akogwu Agada.
Following Erokoro’s apology and his plea for time to streamline the defense’s motions, Justice Darius Khobo adjourned the matter until July 22, 2026, for the hearing of the fresh applications.
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