El-Rufai Faces New Corruption Heat In Kaduna
Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, is expected to be transferred to Kaduna to face a new corruption trial, according to security sources. He remains in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
A senior security official said arrangements are being made for the move from Abuja to Kaduna.
“El-Rufai is to be transferred to Kaduna for a fresh corruption trial,” the source told Sahara Reporters.
Details about the charges or trial dates have not been released.
This development follows a legislative investigation by the Kaduna State House of Assembly into El-Rufai’s administration from 2015 to 2023.
The Assembly said its probe uncovered serious irregularities in the state’s finances, which led to the former governor’s indictment for alleged financial mismanagement and misappropriation of funds.
The Speaker of the Assembly, Yusuf Dahiru Liman, confirmed, “We have concluded our legislative probe and forwarded its findings to appropriate authorities in line with constitutional provisions.”
The probe sparked protests by civil society groups, who gathered at the Assembly complex demanding transparency and accountability over the allegations.
Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, who succeeded El-Rufai, has claimed that ₦423 billion could not be properly accounted for under the previous administration.
He also said El-Rufai left the state with heavy debts that have made governance difficult.
Some former officials under El-Rufai, however, rejected the allegations, calling them “a politically motivated smear campaign.”
Earlier reports indicated that El-Rufai accused ICPC officials of trying to force him out of politics as a condition for his release. In a 30-page criminal complaint, he named ICPC chairman Musa Adamu Aliyu and four other officials.
According to court documents, the former governor said investigators told him that his freedom depended on abandoning political activities.
The claim, in Paragraph 12 of the filing, alleged that ICPC operatives warned him while in detention that staying in politics could prolong his detention, while stepping away from politics would secure his release.
The allegation forms the basis of Count Six in his suit, where El-Rufai accused the officials of wrongful confinement with intent to compel, an offence punishable under Sections 264 and 267 of the Penal Code.
