ICPC slams El-Rufai’s ex-aide with money laundering charges

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has charged a former Chief of Staff to immediate past Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufa’i, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, with alleged money laundering at the Federal High Court.

Saidu, who was also a one-time Commissioner of Finance in El-Rufai’s administration, was charged along with Ibrahim Muktar, described as “a public officer in the employment of the Ministry of Finance”.

The charge states that the defendants are facing a two-count charge of money laundering, contrary to an earlier claim that Saidu had been found not guilty of all charges after 10 months of investigation.

The court document stated that sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu, who was the Commissioner of Finance at the time, “did accept a cash payment of N155,000,000.00 from Ibrahim Muktar, exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you (Saidu) received in cash through proxy to wit: Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 2(a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

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The ICPC also alleged that in the same March 2022 or thereabouts, Saidu “indirectly took control of N155,000,000.00 received in cash for and on behalf of you by Muazu Abdul from Ibrahim Muktar, which fund you reasonably ought to have known formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption, and you hereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18(2)(d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.

Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022 states that “any person who contravenes the provisions of Subsection (2) is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not less than four years but not more than fourteen (14) years or a fine not less than five times the value of the proceeds of the crime or both”.

The charge, which was signed by the Assistant Chief Legal Officer of ICPC, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, was filed yesterday at the Federal High Court of Nigeria in Kaduna.

ICPC slams El-Rufai’s ex-aide with money laundering charges

14-yr-old boy stabbed to death in London bus

A 14-year-old boy was stabbed to death in broad daylight on a London bus on Tuesday in the latest knife-crime incident in the British capital, police said.

The victim was killed on one of the city’s familiar double-decker red buses in Woolwich, southeast London, police said in a statement.

Paramedics treated the boy for stab wound injuries at the scene, “but he very sadly died shortly after medics arrived,” the statement added. No arrest was immediately reported.

El-Rufai, Atiku allies, Al-Mustapha in talks with SDP leaders

Several prominent opposition figures convened for a closed-door meeting with officials of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Abuja on Tuesday.

Details of the meeting’s agenda remain undisclosed at the time of this report, fueling speculation about possible alliances or strategic discussions ahead of upcoming political events.

The meeting took place early on Tuesday at the national secretariat of the SDP and included former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha (former Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha), and Otunba Segun Showunmi, a former spokesman for Atiku Abubakar, among others.

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Confirming the meeting, Showunmi shared the news on his Facebook page.

He wrote: “You must set forth at dawn! A strategic meeting was called by HE Shehu Gabam, Chairman of SDP, with HE Nasir El-Rufai, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, and Otunba Segun Showunmi. The alternative to meet, greet, and review the state of opposition democratic engagement in Nigeria.”

This development follows El-Rufai’s dismissal of reports suggesting that he had defected from the APC to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Responding to the rumours on his verified X account, the former Kaduna governor urged Nigerians to disregard the false reports, calling them “patent lies.” He also revealed that he had instructed his lawyers to take legal action against those spreading the misinformation.

“Please disregard the patent lies and rumours about my political affiliation. I have referred the lead peddlers of the fake news for further action by my lawyers,” El-Rufai posted on Sunday.

A close associate of the former governor, who requested anonymity, also described the claims as the work of mischief-makers, stressinig that El-Rufai, a key figure in the APC, would not have defected to the PDP without making it public.

El-Rufai, Atiku allies, Al-Mustapha in talks with SDP leaders