ICPC To Arraign Firm, Three Former El-Rufai Aides Over Alleged ₦64.8m Money Laundering
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is set to arraign a company and three former aides of ex-Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, over alleged money laundering involving ₦64.8 million.
In a statement issued Thursday in Abuja, ICPC spokesperson Mr. Demola Bakare disclosed that the accused include Mr. Lawal Adebisi, a former Senior Special Adviser to El-Rufai; Mr. Umar Waziri, a former Kaduna State Accountant General; and Mr. Yusuf Inuwa, a former Finance Commissioner. They are scheduled to appear before the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Friday, January 17, 2025.
The ICPC alleges that Mr. Adebisi, in collaboration with Waziri and Inuwa, diverted ₦64,800,562 in three tranches—₦10 million, ₦47.84 million, and ₦7.32 million—into the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited. Mr. Adebisi is reportedly the sole signatory to the account.
Solar Life Nigeria Limited is alleged to have played a pivotal role in the scheme by facilitating the diversion of public funds.
This case follows another ICPC filing last week against Alhaji Muhammad Sa’idu, a former Chief of Staff and Finance Commissioner in Kaduna State. Sa’idu is accused of accepting ₦155 million in cash from a public officer in the Ministry of Finance, in violation of money laundering laws.
The ICPC has been intensifying its anti-corruption activities, recovering significant sums in 2024, including:
- ₦52 billion and $966,900.83, with ₦29.7 billion held in ICPC recovery accounts.
- ₦10.98 billion in VAT remitted to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
- ₦10 billion originally allocated for COVID-19 vaccine production, returned to the treasury.
- ₦2.5 billion in assets through court-ordered forfeitures.
Additionally, the ICPC intercepted ₦5.88 billion across 323 Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs). The commission is also tracking over ₦10.47 billion worth of constituency projects in Osun State as part of its Constituency and Executive Projects Tracking Initiative (CEPTI).
These efforts reflect the commission’s commitment to curbing corruption and ensuring accountability in public offices.