El-Rufai Storms Prison, Meet His Ex-Chief Of Staff In Remand On Alleged Money Laundering

By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Thursday reportedly stormed Kaduna prison and met his former Chief of Staff, Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu, been remanded at the Correctional Service Facility on charges relating to alleged money laundering.

The immediate past Kaduna Governor however refused to speak with newsmen on his mission after the visit.

Reports had it that, the visit by Mal. El-Rufa’i came just hours after Sa’idu, who was also a former Commissioner of Finance and Local Government in Kaduna state, during his tenure was remanded in a Correctional Facility over allegations of corruption and money laundering while in office.

The former Governor reportedly sought audience with the embattled Saidu who was arrested on Monday and taken to a Magistrates’ Court at Rigasa, which ordered that he be remanded in prison custody.

Reports also said Mallam el-Rufai, accompanied by three key figures and former Commissioners during his tenure, arrived at the facility around 10:19 am and left about 30 minutes later around 10:47 am.

The former, in the brief visit was accompanied by the former Commissioner of Education, Jafaru Sani; former Commissioner of Human Services and Social Development, Hafsat Baba; and former Commissioner for Environment, Ibrahim Hussaini.

However, Nasir El-Rufai, donning a green cap and light green Agbada, subtly rebuffed attempts by journalists to have a word with him on his visit to the Correctional Centre.

Coming out of the facility with a straight face, the one time Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration, quickly boarded one of the Prado vehicles that escorted him and immediately sped off.

Meanwhile, a BBC Hausa report monitored on Thursday evening, said El-Rufa’i also went to the office of Operation Fushin Kada, but couldn’t meet the security operatives.

However, the media was not privy to the former governor’s discussions with officials at the Police Command as he still maintained stoic silence over the matter.

In confirming his arrest, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) said Bashir Sa’idu was picked up over allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds.

According to Police insiders, ongoing investigation of Bashir Sa’idu followed a petition accusing him of laundering N3.96 billion and misappropriating N244 million while serving the Kaduna State government between 2015 and 2023.

Other allegations include the sale of $45 million in State-owned foreign currency at an undervalued exchange rate of N410 per dollar, instead of the parallel market rate of N498 per dollar, causing a loss of over N3.96 billion to the government.

Furthermore, the insiders hinted that this transaction breaches Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

Additionally, the former aide is accused of failing to account for proceeds from the sale of government houses in Marafa Estate, Kaduna, amounting to approximately N244 million. This constitutes a breach of trust under Section 300 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State, 2017.

It was gathered that Sai’du’s woes arose from the Kaduna State House of Assembly investigations that fingered him as master-minding several underhand financial dealings while serving in the El-Rufai-led administration.

The Assembly is reported to have forwarded its findings to the Nigeria Police as well as the two anti-corruption agencies, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

It was also gathered that as part of the ongoing investigations, Sa’idu’s international passport has been seized by the Court.