A federal high court sitting in Kaduna ordered 1.37 billion temporary confiscations allegedly evacuated from state government safes from state government warehouses during the administration of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. The funds were allegedly transferred to an account belonging to the Nigeria Ltd., a joint venture between India’s Indo Kaduna Marts, as part of the funds allocated for a failed light rail project in Kaduna State under the previous government.
Justice H. Buhari issued a confiscation order on 28 February 2025, filed by the Independent Corruption and Other Related Crimes Commission (ICPC), which traces the transfer of funds back to a private account. The judge also directed the ICPC to publish notices in two national newspapers, inviting any interest in individuals or entities to file their cases in funds and to show in court why the money should not be permanently confiscated to the federal government.
ICPC initially filed an Ex Parte application on February 14, 2025, in an attempt to recover the stolen funds. The commission believes that the intention of the payment is to be a light rail project implemented under the El-Rufai government, depriving the expected benefits of the transportation system of Kaduna residents. In an application filed by its lawyer EO Akponimisingha, ICPC claimed that Kaduna State Government officials reunited funds through Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nig Limited, a joint venture established between state government and Indian investors in 2016.
The judge approved the interim forfeiture when he made a decision at the request of the ICPC and directed the Commission to issue a notice in the national newspaper allowing any interested party to file its claim. The case has been adjourned until April 8, 2025, with a hearing, and potential claimants will have the opportunity to confiscate in court.
