A Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna State has approved the interim forfeiture of N1.37 billion allegedly diverted into a private account from the Kaduna State Government during the tenure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
The presiding judge, Justice H. Buhari, granted the forfeiture order on February 28, 2025, in a case filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as reported by Channels Television on Wednesday.
The money in dispute was allegedly diverted into an account belonging to Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited.
ICPC’s Case
On February 14, 2025, the ICPC disclosed that the money in dispute was part of the funds released for a botched light rail project in Kaduna State during the previous administration.
- Through its ex parte application before the Federal High Court, the ICPC sought the recovery of the funds.
- The ICPC’s lawyer, E.O. Akponimisingha, submitted that Kaduna State government officials allegedly diverted the funds through Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nig Limited, a joint venture entity established in 2016 by the state government and Indian nationals.
- The lawyer stated that investigations revealed the light rail project was never executed under the El-Rufai administration.
The Commission argued that this development allegedly deprived the people of Kaduna State of the benefits of the rail transportation system project.
What the Judge Said
Ruling on the ICPC’s application, Justice H. Buhari issued the interim forfeiture order.
- The judge also directed the ICPC to publish a notice in two national newspapers so that any interested party could show cause why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.
- The case was then adjourned to April 8, 2025, for any interested party to show cause why the interim order should be vacated.
More Insights
This development highlights the ongoing legal scrutiny of El-Rufai’s administration by the ICPC.
- In mid-January 2025, the ICPC indicted three ex-appointees of the former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, in a fresh N64 million money-laundering suit.
- The ex-appointees are Mr. Lawal Shakiru Olajimi Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser/Counselor to El-Rufai, the former Accountant General of Kaduna State, Mr. Umar Waziri, and Mr. Yusuf Inuwa, the former Finance Commissioner in the state.
- In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Kaduna Judicial Division, the ICPC accused Mr. Lawal of conspiring with the two other accused persons to divert N64,800,562 in three tranches: N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and N7,320,562 to the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, where Mr. Lawal is believed to be the sole signatory.
In a separate charge, the ICPC also arraigned the former Chief of Staff and Commissioner of Finance in Kaduna State, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, for money laundering.
Sa’idu was accused of accepting a cash payment of N155,000,000 from Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer in the Ministry of Finance.
