The ad hoc committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly to investigate all finances, loans, and contracts awarded under the former governor, Nasir El-Rufai has submitted its report to the House.
Presenting the report during plenary on Wednesday, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, Henry Zacharia, said that most of the loans obtained under the El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the purpose for which they were obtained, while in some cases, due process was not followed in securing the loans.
Receiving the report, the Speaker of the Kaduna House of Assembly, Yusuf Liman, said that a total of N423 billion was siphoned by the El-Rufai administration while leaving the state with huge liabilities.
The committee, therefore, recommended the investigation and prosecution of El-Rufai, and some other indicted members of his cabinet by security and anti-corruption agencies for abuse of office through the award of contracts without due process, diversion of public funds, and money laundering as well as plaguing Kaduna State into heavy debt.
Part of the report read: “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:
“1. 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 utilization and denied the State of the needed resources for development.
“iv. 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.
“V. 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.”
The committee also recommended the immediate suspension of the Kaduna State Commissioner of Finance, Shizer Badda, who also served in the same capacity under El-Rufai’s administration and as the chairman of the state universal basic education board.
It also recommended thoroughly investigating some key appointees of the last administration by appropriate law enforcement and anti-corruption agencies.
The committee set up by the Kaduna State House of Assembly was tasked with examining loans, grants, and project implementation from 2015 to 2023 during which El-Rufai served as governor of the state.
