The ad-hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly on Wednesday indicted the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, and some of his aides for alleged corrupt practices and abuse of office.
The committee was set up in April to investigate all finances, loans, and contracts awarded by the El Rufai administration.
Presenting the report during plenary on Wednesday, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Henry Zacharia, alleged that the total sum of N423,115,028,072,88 was syphoned from the state treasury by the El-Rufai administration.
The committee also accused the former governor of breaching his oath of office, plunging the state into fraudulent domestic and foreign debts, reckless award of contracts, and money laundering.
The report further alleged that most of the loans obtained under Mr El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the purpose for which they were obtained.
According to documents obtained by our correspondent, the committee said, “that between 1965 and December 31, 2014, the total foreign loans as contained in the handover note of the state was $234 million USD before the inception of the last administration, which is 29th May, 2015.
“That on 29th May, 2015, when His Excellency Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’i took over governance of the state, all domestic loans had been paid by the previous administration, and therefore no liability on domestic loans was handed over to him, as shown in the signed handing over notes duly signed by both outgoing and incoming governors.
“That when His Excellency, Mallam Nasir El-Rufa’l, took over governance of Kaduna State, the mopped up cash in the state paid into the TSA amounted to 34,000,000,000.00 only.
“That between May 2015 and May 2023, the Government of Kaduna State incurred liability on domestic and foreign loans to the tune of N98,912,000,000.00 and $758,141,699, respectively, and the majority of them were obtained without due process and not utilised for the purpose they were obtained.
“That, the total revenue [loans, FAAC, IGR, grants, refunds, and interventions] received by the Kaduna State Government from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May 2023, amounted to N1,497,682,993.375 and $758,141,699 USD.
“That through the use of unauthorised debit cards, the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with officers of KADIRS, withdrew through 3rd parties the sum of #721,672,854.88 from the Internally Generated Revenue Account of the State.
“That, the ministry of finance, in collaboration with KADIRS, syphoned the sum of 430,000,000,000.00 from the internally generated revenue account of the state.
“That, the total value of the contracts awarded by the Kaduna State Government from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 amounted to №510,407,166,975.39 only, out of this alleged amount, only the sum of №198,921,880,169.04 was paid to contractors.
“That, the total contractual liabilities found by the Committee as at 29th May, 2023 stand at the sum of N311,485,286,806,35 and $26,284,595.53 [USD], respectively.
“That, the public liability (Gratuity and Pension) as at 29th May, 2023 stood at №23,993,700,494.91.
“That, the liability of the Kaduna State Government to the consultants engaged between 29th May, 2015 and 29th May, 2023 is N602,026,388.55.
“That, the total amount of moneys withdrawn by the Commissioner of Finance and Accountant General stood at N4,936,916,333.00 and $1.4 Million USD.
“That, the total amount of money syphoned by the Government of Kaduna State from 29th May, 2015, to 29th May, 2023, is N423,115,028,072,88.”
In its recommendations, the committee said it found sufficient evidence of several corruption cases within the government, ministries, and agencies from May 29–2023.
It therefore directed the Kaduna Internal Revenue Service to withdraw the Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, Account domiciled at Zenith Bank as security for N20,000,000,000.00 guaranteed in 2023.
It also requested the bank refund all monies deducted on account of the purported illegal guarantee, together with the accrued interest thereof.
The committee also called for the probe of all commissioners who served under Mr El-Rufai from from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation.
“That, all the Accountant Generals of the State from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation.
“That, the Chairmen of Kaduna State Internal Revenue Service (KADIRS) from 2018 to 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation.
“That, the current Commissioner of Finance, Kaduna State do step aside to allow for a proper investigation into the activities of the Ministry from 29th May, 2015 to 29 May, 2023.
“That, the current Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board [SUBEB] do step aside to allow for thorough and proper investigation into the activities of the Board from 29th May, 2015 to 29* May, 2023.
“That, the current Executive Secretary of the State Pension Bureau do step aside to allow for a proper investigation into the activities of the Bureau from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023.
“That, all the managing directors of the Kaduna Market Development and Management Company Ltd from 29 May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for a thorough investigation into their handling of the affairs of the Company.
“That, the coordinator of the Kaduna State Government’s irrigation programmes for the cultivation of wheat at Ruwan Sanyi, Kubau Local Government Area, in 2016 or thereabout, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for a thorough investigation.
“That, Ms. Dolapo Popoola, the immediate past managing director of AlL KAPSCO whose whereabouts are not known, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation into her handling of the affairs of the company and for the recovery of all government properties in her possession.
“That, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye, the special adviser to the governor of Kaduna State on media and communication from 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for investigation on his involvement in the contracts in Kaduna State Media Corporation (KSMC].
“That, all the Managing Directors of Kaduna Roads Agency (KADRA) from 11th October, 2017 to November, 2021 with the exception of Engineer Amina Ja’afar Ladan, who only spent a month in office, be referred to the appropriate law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation into their roles in the award and poor execution of contracts during their tenure, while management and senior staff of the agency be redeployed to other relevant ministries and agencies.
“That, all loans [domestic and foreign] obtained by the Kaduna State Government between 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 and found by the Committee to have been obtained without due process are not binding on the state, and the State government should henceforth stop honouring all Limit, obligations arising from them.
“That, the unjustified cash withdrawals to the tune of N4,936,916,333.00 between 2019 to 2022 by Hon. Commissioner of Finance and the Accountant General of the State be referred to the appropriate Law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and necessary action.
“That, the unjustified withdrawals of the sum of $1.4 million USD from the Kaduna State Economic Transformation Account No. 0809009141 for the period of 30/10/2020 – 06/05/2020 be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and appropriate action.
“That, the sum of A632,456,000.00 only paid to TULIP FUTURE ASSOCIATES LTD without official engagement as consultants will be recovered by the state government.
“That, the sum of A80,000,000.00 only paid to EDI-JEN CO. LTD, on the 3rd of March, 2023, as IMPREST while He is not a government employee, be recovered by the Kaduna State Government.
“That, the sum of N757,426,000.00 only paid by the Ministry of Finance into Account No. 0500764182 in Sterling Bank Plc in the name of Sarkin Ayuka Global Resources Ltd, being excess gains in the exchange of the sum of $2,600.000.00 USD, be recovered and paid into the Kaduna State consolidated revenue fund account.
“That, the sum of N1,412,031,860.00 only which the committee found was fraudulently paid into the account of MISHA Travels Agency by the Accountant General of the State, be recovered and paid into the Kaduna State Consolidated Revenue Fund Account.
“That, the sum of N333,000,000.00 [three hundred and thirty three million naira] paid to ALMASS MULTI LINKS VENTURES Account number 6249747019 FCMB be recovered.
“That, Skipper Nig. Ltd., having abandoned most of the contracts awarded to the company after collecting huge sums of money in part payment, be referred to the necessary law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and necessary action.
“That, Mr. Jimmy Lawal, Senior Adviser-Counsellor to the Governor of Kaduna State from May, 29th 2015 to May to May, 29th 2023 who was saddled with the coordination of the activities of government ministries and agencies albeit without any constitutional role, abused the trust bestowed on him and used the opportunity to introduce dubious companies to which he secured the award of several contracts at outrageous amount and which contracts were abandoned after payment of substantial contractual sums, diversion of funds meant for execution of projects thereby defrauding the Kaduna State Government, be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies for thorough investigation and necessary action.
“That, the Governor of Kaduna State, between 29th May, 2015 to 29th May, 2023 as the chief executive officer of the state, breached his oath of office contained in the 7th Schedule to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [as amended and failed to exercise due discretion in the administration of the State, thereby indulged in:
“Plunging the state into unwanted, unjustified, and fraudulent domestic and foreign debts over and above the total loans obtained by Kaduna State from 1965 to 1999 and majority of which were obtained without due process.
“Reckless awards of contracts without due process and due execution leading to several abandoned projects despite payments.
“Authorised the humongous withdrawals of cash both in Naira and dollars with no records of utilisation and denied the State of the needed resources for development.
“Complicit activities with commissioners and heads of parastatals to defraud the state by issuing directives to KADPPA to circumvent due process in the payment of contractors vide letter dated 21 June, 2021.
“Diversion of funds and money laundering contrary to all extant laws and regulations and accordingly should be referred to the law enforcement agencies for in-depth investigation and appropriate action”.