A Federal High Court in Kaduna State has ordered the temporary forfeiture of ₦1.37 billion that was purportedly
transferred from the state government’s finances into a private account under former Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s
administration.
The court similarly adjourned the case to April 8, 2025.
The funds that were released for a failed light rail project in Kaduna State during the previous administration are said
to have been redirected into an account owned by Indo Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited.
After the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) filed an ex parte motion with
the court and linked the misappropriated funds to a private bank account, the presiding judge, Justice H. Buhari,
issued the forfeiture judgement on February 28, 2025.
In order to prevent the aforementioned movable property from being permanently forfeited to the Federal
Government, the judge further ordered ICPC to issue a notice in two national newspapers requesting that anybody
with an interest in the property—whether human, legal, or artificial—provide justification in court.
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In order to recover the funds, ICPC filed an ex parte application with the Federal High Court on February 14, 2025. The
commission contended that the El-Rufai administration never carried out the light rail project, depriving the people of
Kaduna State of the advantages of the rail transportation system for which the budget was intended.
In the ex parte application filed by its lawyer, E.O Akponimisingha, on February 28, ICPC alleged that the Kaduna State
Government officials diverted the money through the Indo Kaduna MRTS JV Nig Limited, a joint venture entity set up
in 2016 by the state government and Indian businesspeople.
While ruling on ICPC’s application, the judge ordered the interim forfeiture of the money, and also directed the
Commission to publish a notice in any two national newspapers, requesting any person with interest in the property to
present their claim and show cause in court why the asset should not be permanently forfeited to the federal
government.
The case has been adjourned to April 8, 2025, for interested people who may want to claim the money to make their case before the court.
