• ‘Politically motivated hatchet job’ — el-Rufai denies corruption allegations by Kaduna assembly

The ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans and contracts awarded under the immediate-past governor, Nasir El-Rufai, submitted its report on Wednesday, indicting the ex-governor and some of his appointees of siphoning N423bn state funds.

But El-Rufai, in a swift reaction by his media aide, Muyiwa Adekeye, knocked the report, describing it as false and scandalous.

“We are aware of news that the Kaduna State House of Assembly has adopted the report of the ad hoc committee it asked to probe the El-Rufai government.

“We have not been availed a copy of the report, to which we would respond robustly whenever we obtain it. We affirm the integrity of the El-Rufai government and dismiss the scandalous claims being aired as the report of the committee,” Adekeye clapped back.

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The Assembly, while adopting the report of the 13-man panel, asked the incumbent Governor, Uba Sani, to refer El-Rufai, his Commissioner of Finance and other aides to relevant security agencies for investigation.

The Assembly had in April set up the 13-man panel, headed by the Deputy Speaker, Henry Danjuma, to probe El-Rufai’s administration.

The probe by the Assembly came weeks after the incumbent Governor of Kaduna State, Uba Sani, lamented that El-Rufai left him a huge debt profile.

Sani, who spoke during a town hall meeting in Kaduna, said he inherited a lean treasury, adding that he could not pay workers’ salaries.

Sani said, “Despite the huge debt burden of $587m, N85bn, and 115 Contractual Liabilities sadly inherited from the previous administration, we remain resolute in steering Kaduna State towards progress and sustainable development.”

While presenting the report during Wednesday’s plenary, Danjuma said most of the loans obtained under the El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the purpose for which they were obtained, while in some cases, due process was not followed in securing the loans.

Receiving the report, the Speaker of the Kaduna House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman, said that a total N423bn was siphoned by the El-Rufai’s administration while leaving the state with huge liabilities.

The committee’s report, which was immediately adopted and its recommendations forwarded to the state Governor Sani for immediate action, alleged that El-Rufai authorised humongous withdrawals of cash both in naira and dollars from the state’s coffers, with no records of utilisation, denying the state of the needed resources for development.

It also alleged that El-Rufai was involved in complicit activities with commissioners and heads of parastatals by allegedly issuing directives to the Kaduna Public Procurement Agency to circumvent due process in the payment of contractors vide letter dated June 21, 2021.

A copy of the report sighted by The PUNCH read partly: “The Governor of Kaduna State between 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 as the Chief Executive Officer of the state breached his Oath of Office contained in the 7th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended and failed to exercise due discretion in the administration of the state, thereby indulged in: 1. Plunging the state into unwanted, unjustified and fraudulent domestic and foreign debts over and above the total Loans obtained by Kaduna State from 1965 to 1999 and the majority of which were obtained without due process.

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“Reckless awards of contracts without due process and due execution, leading to several abandoned projects despite payments.

“(He) authorised humongous withdrawals of cash both in naira and dollar with no records of utilisation and denied the state of the needed resources for development.

“Complicit activities with commissioners and heads of parastatals to defraud the state by issuing directives to KADPPA to circumvent due process in the payment of contractors vide letter dated 21st June, 2021.

“Diversion of funds and money laundering contrary to all extant Laws and regulations and accordingly should be referred to the law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and appropriate action.”

The committee which alleged that some government contractors were overpaid, while others collected money without executing the assigned projects.

It, therefore, recommended that the contractors it listed should refund a total sum of N36.3bn “being funds paid for work either not done, overpayment or diversion to the Kaduna State government.”

The committee equally recommended that the current Commissioner of Finance, current Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board and the current Executive Secretary of the state Pension Bureau should step aside to allow for proper investigation into the activities of the ministry and agencies.

The report further read: “The committee has come to the conclusion that evidence has shown several cases of corruption in the running of the affairs of the government, ministries, departments and agencies in Kaduna State from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 and hereby recommends as follows:-1. To direct the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service to withdraw the Internally Generated Revenue account domiciled at Zenith Bank as Security for N20,000,000,000.00 guaranteed in 2023 forthwith and to request the bank to refund all funds deducted on account of the purported illegal guarantee together with the accrued interest thereof.

“That all the Commissioners of Finance of the state from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation.

“That all the Accountant Generals of the state from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation.

“That the Chairmen of the Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service from 2018 to 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation.

“That the current Commissioner of Finance, Kaduna State should step aside to allow for proper investigation into the activities of the ministry from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023.

“That, the current Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board should step aside to allow for thorough and proper investigation into the activities of the Board from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023.

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“That the current Executive Secretary of the State Pension Bureau should step aside to allow for proper investigation into the activities of the bureau from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023.

“That all the Managing Directors of the Kaduna Market Development and Management Company Ltd from 29 May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for a thorough investigation into their handling of the affairs of the company.

“That the Coordinator of the Kaduna State Government’s Irrigation Programmes for the cultivation of Wheat at Ruwan Sanyi, Kubau Local Government Area in 2016 or thereabouts, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for a thorough investigation.

“That Ms. Dolapo Popoola, the immediate-past Managing Director of AlL KAPSCO, whose whereabouts are not known, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation into her handling of the affairs of the company and for the recovery of all government properties in her possession.

“That Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the Special Adviser to the Governor of Kaduna State on Media and Communication from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation on his involvement in the contracts in Kaduna State Media Corporation.

“That all the Managing Directors of Kaduna Roads Agency from 11th October, 2017 to November, 2021 with the exception of Engineer Amina Ja’afar Ladan, who only spent a month in office, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for an in-depth investigation into their roles in the award and poor execution of contracts during their tenure, while management and senior staff of the agency be redeployed to other relevant ministries and agencies.

“That all loans (domestic and foreign) obtained by the Kaduna State Government between 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 and found by the committee to have been obtained without due process are not binding on the state and the state government should henceforth stop honouring all limit, obligations arising from them.

“That the contractors listed hereunder should refund to the Kaduna State government a total sum of N36,351,126,811.65, being monies paid for work either not done, overpayment or diversion as follows:1. Ronchess Global Resources PLC 2. Chamberlayne Global Concept Ltd 3. M/S Prestige Integrated Services Ltd amount N6,611,475,813.35 N3,566,760,185.98 N162,954,467.77 M/S Philco Nig. Ltd; M/S Gulu Engineering & Technical Services Ltd; CCECC Nigeria Ltd; Danjiro Nigeria Ltd; Rafali Nigeria Ltd; Sanjo Nigeria Ltd; Konstrand Nigeria Ltd; Spectrum Engineering Ltd; Bindigary Construction Ltd; Gmorli Nigeria Ltd; Shiyuma Nigeria Ltd; andFarm Track Nigeria Ltd.

“That the unjustified cash withdrawals to the tune of N4,936,916,333.00 between 2019 to 2022 by Hon. Commissioner of Finance and the Accountant General of the state be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for an in-depth investigation and necessary action.

“That the unjustified withdrawals of the sum of $1.4m from the Kaduna State Economic Transformation Account No. 0809009141 for the period of 30/10/2020 – 06/05/2020 be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for an in-depth investigation and appropriate action.

“That the sum of N632,456,000.00 only paid to TULIP FUTURE ASSOCIATES LTD without official engagement as consultants be recovered by the state government.

“That the sum of N80,000,000.00 only paid to EDI-JEN CO. LTD on the 3rd of March, 2023 as IMPREST while he is not a government employee be recovered by the Kaduna State Government.

“That, the sum of N757,426,000.00 only paid by the Ministry of Finance into four Account No. 0500764182 in Sterling Bank Plc in the name of Sarkin Ayuka Global Resources Ltd, being excess gains in the exchange of the sum of $2,600.000.00 USD be recovered and paid into the Kaduna State Consolidated Revenue Fund Account.

“That the sum of N1,412,031,860.00 only which the committee found was fraudulently paid into the account of MISHA Travels Agency by the Accountant General of the State be recovered and paid into the Kaduna State Consolidated Revenue Fund Account.

“That the sum of N333,000,000.00 paid to ALMASS MULTI LINKS VENTURES Account Number 6249747019 FCMB be recovered.

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“That the total amount to be refunded to the state Government by the an underlisted persons is as follows: 1. Bashir Saidu; 2. Shizzer Nasara Bada; 3. Tulip Future Associates Ltd, 4. EDI-JEN CO. LTD 5.Sarkin Ayuka Global Resources Ltd 6. Misha Travels 6. ALMASS MULTI LINKS VENTURES 7. Nuren Mumeen 8. Damola Uzosike Chinedu: TOTAL: $19,239,511,099.76 $1,400,000.00 USD

“Withdrawals from the Kaduna State Economic Transformation Account (Shizzer Nasara Bada) TOTAL USD $1,400,000.00 23. 24.

“That, Skipper Nig. Ltd, having abandoned most of the contracts awarded to the company after collecting huge sums of money in part payment, be referred to the necessary law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and necessary action.

“That, Mr. Jimmy Lawal, Senior Adviser-Counsellor to the Governor of Kaduna State from May, 29th 2015 to May to May, 29th 2023, who was saddled with the coordination of the activities of government ministries and agencies, albeit without any constitutional role, abused the trust bestowed on him and used the opportunity to introduce dubious companies to which he secured the award of several contracts at outrageous amounts and which contracts were abandoned after payment of substantial contractual sums, diversion of funds meant for execution of projects, thereby defrauding the Kaduna State Government, be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation and necessary action.”

Meanwhile, after the adoption of the report, the Speaker, Dahiru, directed the Assembly Clerk to immediately transmit the House recommendations to Governor Sani and urged the governor to implement the recommendations diligently.

El-Rufai’s media aide, Adekeye, while refuting the allegation by the Assembly in a statement sent to The PUNCH, said, “Malam Nasir El-Rufai is immensely proud of his record of governance and the legacy he left in Kaduna State. This record of consistently high performance in public and private office cannot be altered by any malicious effort to use the auspices of a state legislature for defamation and undeserved smears.

“Many of the officials who served in the El-Rufai government appeared before the ad-hoc committee because of their confidence in the quality of their service and the rectitude which they served Kaduna State.

“They were under no illusion that they were participating in a fair process. It was obvious that the ad hoc committee was merely going through the motions of an inquiry just to give some gloss to predetermined conclusions.

“It is sad to see such a shameful departure from any notion of decency and fairness by a state legislature. We dismiss with contempt the claims being peddled in connection with the report.

“Malam El-Rufai wishes to assure discerning Nigerians that he has served Kaduna State with integrity and to the best of his capacity, assisted by a hard-working and patriotic team.

“He complied with all extant laws in all his activities while he was the governor. This jaundiced probe should be disregarded as the politically motivated hatchet job it is.”

= PUNCH =