Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday, arrived at the Federal High Court in Kaduna for arraignment over alleged money laundering and conversion of public property amid heavy security.
El-Rufai will be arraigned alongside one Joel Adoga by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The ex-governor has been in the custody of the ICPC since February 19 after he was released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Security in and around the court was beefed up ahead of his arrival with operatives of the police and civil defence corps seen patrolling and journalists barred.
Since el-Rufai’s arrest, there have been several calls for his release or arraignment.
While in ICPC custody, the former governor refused to respond to questions posed to him by ICPC investigators, citing his right to remain silent.
On March 5, the magistrate court extended the initial remand order for el-Rufai by another 14 days.
El-Rufai had filed a fundamental rights suit before the federal high court in Abuja over the search conducted on his residence by the ICPC and the remand order issued on February 19.
The ICPC, the chief magistrate who issued the order, the inspector-general of police (IGP), and the attorney-general of the federation (AGF) are respondents in the suit.
