Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Gabriel Osa
Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai is currently in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) in connection with ongoing investigations into financial transactions and alleged irregularities related to public funds during his tenure between 2015 and 2023, the commission has confirmed. This follows his earlier detention by the Nigeria Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which culminated in his release on bail before the ICPC took custody.
According to official ICPC statements, the former governor remains under investigation by the commission. While the agency has not yet disclosed the full scope of the charges emerging from that investigation, established reporting indicates that one central focus is the administration’s handling of funds allocated for the long-proposed Kaduna light rail project.
Independent media reports and court records from 2025 show that the Federal High Court in Kaduna granted an interim order freezing and forfeiting N1.37 billion that the ICPC traced back to the Kaduna State Government’s payments for the light rail scheme. Prosecutors allege that the project funds — totalling approximately N11.1 billion — were transferred into an account belonging to Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nigeria Limited between December 2016 and January 2017, even though the joint venture was not legally registered until May 10, 2017. From those transfers, N1.373 billion was identified as having been diverted into a private account, according to court filings.
The ICPC’s ex parte application for the forfeiture order was filed in February 2025, and the court directed notice publication inviting any interested parties to come forward and justify why the funds should not be permanently forfeited. Proceedings were adjourned into April 2025 for interested claims.
Court documents indicate that the alleged diversion and premature payments contravened procedural requirements for public procurement and corporate compliance, given that the joint venture’s account was opened at Sterling Bank before formal incorporation — a point criticised in legal and regulatory circles.
The Kaduna light rail scheme was announced years ago as part of a broader infrastructure agenda, but the initiative was never executed. The ICPC’s inquiry — which began following petitions and audits of public expenditures — examines whether funds released under El-Rufai’s administration were lawfully disbursed and accounted for. As part of the probe, the anti-graft agency recovered the N1.37 billion into its recovery account at the Central Bank of Nigeria pending court determination.
El-Rufai’s custodial transfer from the EFCC to the ICPC signals an expansion of the anti-graft scrutiny facing him, although the commission has not yet publicly announced specific fresh charges related directly to the light rail funds or other financial allegations. Details on formal charges, if preferred, are expected to materialise as the matter progresses before the courts.
Prior to this case, the ICPC had prosecuted other officials connected to the El-Rufai administration on separate alleged financial offences, including money laundering charges against aides and former finance officials over unrelated matters. These cases highlight the broader anti-corruption focus on former state government financial conduct.
As of this latest verified reporting, official ICPC statements confirm custody and ongoing investigation, and factual details regarding the light rail fund diversion and interim forfeiture order are matters of public record. Further verified information from court filings or formal charges will clarify the full nature and extent of legal proceedings against El-Rufai.
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