Federal High Court Approves Interim Forfeiture of Diverted Kaduna Funds

A Federal High Court in Kaduna State has issued an interim forfeiture order for N1.37 billion, suspected to have been diverted from the Kaduna State Government into a private account during the tenure of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Justice H. Buhari, who presided over the case, granted the order on February 28, 2025, following an application filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC). The disputed amount is alleged to have been transferred into an account owned by Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited.

Details of ICPC’s Investigation The ICPC disclosed on February 14, 2025, that the contested funds were part of the budget allocated for an unexecuted light rail project in Kaduna State under the previous administration.

Through an ex parte application, the ICPC sought the recovery of the misappropriated funds. The commission’s counsel, E.O. Akponimisingha, alleged that the funds were diverted by state officials through Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nig Limited, a joint venture between the Kaduna State Government and Indian nationals, established in 2016.

The investigation revealed that the proposed light rail project never materialized, depriving Kaduna residents of its potential benefits.

Court Ruling In response to the ICPC’s request, Justice H. Buhari ordered the interim forfeiture of the funds and instructed the commission to publish notices in two national newspapers. This would allow any interested party to present reasons why the funds should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2025, to enable any contesting parties to challenge the interim forfeiture order.