Court orders interim forfeiture of N1.37bn allegedly diverted under El-Rufai

A Federal High Court in Kaduna State has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.37 billion allegedly diverted from the state government’s coffers into a private account during the tenure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) traced the funds to an account belonging to Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited. The money was reportedly part of the funds allocated for a light rail project in Kaduna State that was never executed under the previous administration.

Justice H. Buhari issued the forfeiture order on February 28, 2025, following an ex parte application filed by the ICPC. The judge also instructed the commission to publish a notice in two national newspapers, inviting any interested parties, including individuals, corporate entities, or other legal entities, to present their claims in court and justify why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the federal government.

The ICPC, through its lawyer E.O. Akponimisingha, had approached the court on February 14, 2025, seeking to recover the allegedly misappropriated funds. The commission argued that the failure to implement the light rail project denied the people of Kaduna State access to the intended transportation infrastructure.

The commission further alleged that the diverted funds were funneled through Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nig Limited, a joint venture established in 2016 by the Kaduna State government and Indian investors.

The court has set April 8, 2025, as the date for a hearing, allowing any interested parties to stake their claims before a final decision is made on the forfeiture.