By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini
A civil society group, the Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance (KCWGG), announced on Tuesday, July 2, 2024, that it has petitioned the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) to investigate former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and his cabinet over alleged financial misappropriation of over N400bn during his administration from 2015 to 2023.
Speaking during a press conference held at Arewa House, Kaduna, on Wednesday, the chairman of KCWGG, Comrade Victor Duniya, stated, “Yesterday, the 2nd of July 2024, we officially lodged petitions at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the zonal office of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Kaduna against the former governor of Kaduna State, Mal. Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai and many members of his administration.
“Our action was a result of the probe carried out by the Kaduna State House of Assembly Ad-hoc report on sourcing and usage of domestic loans from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023, which indicted the former governor and some of his key members.”
The ad-hoc committee report had indicted the former governor and some of his top government officials for the misappropriation of over N400bn.
Though the former governor has rushed to the Federal High Court seeking his fundamental rights, the civil society group (KCWGG) insisted that the anti-graft bodies should arrest the former governor and his appointees who were indicted in the probe.
Duniya maintained further, “Our petitions requested immediate investigations, arrests, and prosecutions of Mal. El-Rufai and his appointees involved in the mismanagement, siphoning, and many illegal financial and administrative activities contained in the report.
“Holding the former governor and those that looted the treasury and shortchanged the people’s interests accountable will deter other elected and appointed public officials from mindless looting of the public treasury with impunity.”
The petitioners told the two anti-graft agencies, “We have absolute confidence in the capacity and determination of the anti-graft agencies in combating corruption in Nigeria.