The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, (ICPC), has summoned Jimi Lawal, a former Special Adviser to the immediate past Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, over an alleged fraudulent Light Rail Project worth ?11 billion.
Lawal is under investigation for his role in what the ICPC suspects to be a non-existent project that was nonetheless fully paid for.
According to sources within the ICPC, Lawal was expected to appear before a team of investigators but failed to show up, nor did he send a representative.
The Commission, which has intensified its probe into Lawal’s financial dealings, has also requested that the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) place him on a watchlist.
This measure aims to prevent him from fleeing the country to avoid prosecution.
According to a copy of the ICPC’s letter to the DSS and NIS detailing the allegations against Lawal, noted that Lawal, originally from Ogun State, is being investigated for “criminal conspiracy” and “obtaining loans (foreign and domestic) without following due process”.
It also revealed that Lawal’s bank account, held with a major financial institution, recorded receipts totalling ?144 million from four private companies.
The Commission fears that the former aide may be planning to evade justice, prompting the issuance of the watchlist order.
In a broader investigation into the previous el-Rufa’i’s administration in Kaduna State, the ICPC has also summoned 20 top officials and the Managing Director of a company in connection with $350 million in loans. These funds were ostensibly allocated to rehabilitate schools and other strategic infrastructure projects.
The officials, who it was gathered will undergo interrogation from August 13 to August 16, include project coordinators and accountants from various State-run programmes.
Project Coordinator of the State’s Transportation Programme, Mariam Sani Dangaji, and the programme’s Project Accountant, Nicolas Hassan Samuel, were among those invited.
Other key figures include Yahaya Aminu, the Project Coordinator for the Agro Processing Productivity Enhancement and Livelihood Improvement Support (APPEALS), and Nasiru Dahiru, the Project Accountant for APPEALS.
The investigation extends to multiple sectors, reflecting the scope of alleged financial mismanagement during the ex-governor’s tenure.
The investigation adds a new dimension to the growing scrutiny of El-Rufai’s administration.
Recall that in June, the ad-hoc committee of the Kaduna State House of Assembly reported that approximately ?423 billion was siphoned from state coffers between May 2015 and May 2023.
The committee also discovered the withdrawal of $1.4 million from the Kaduna State Economic Transformation Account, raising further questions about the administration’s financial practices.
The Assembly’s report also recommended that eight individuals and companies refund over ?19 billion for work that was either not done or overpaid. Additionally, 15 contractors were directed to refund ?36 billion under similar circumstances.
Despite the mounting allegations, el-Rufa’i has vehemently denied any wrongdoing, accusing the State’sHouse of Assembly of denying him a fair hearing.
He has since taken legal action to challenge the committee’s report, setting the stage for a protracted legal battle.
