Rita Odafe
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has taken action against Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, former Chief of Staff to Kaduna State’s ex-Governor Nasir El-Rufai, presenting him to the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
Along with Ibrahim Muktar, a public officer under the Ministry of Finance, Saidu has been charged as of Tuesday.
As per legal documents numbered FHC/KD/IC/2025, both individuals are facing two allegations of money laundering, contradicting previous reports that had cleared Saidu of wrongdoing after a lengthy 10-month investigation.
The charge details indicate that in March 2022, Saidu, while serving as Commissioner of Finance, accepted an unauthorized cash payment totaling N155,000,000.00 from Ibrahim Muktar. This transaction was allegedly facilitated by his Special Assistant, Muazu Abdu, which constitutes an offense under the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act of 2022.
The Act’s Section 18(3) delineates that those violating its provisions could be sentenced to a prison term ranging from four to fourteen years or incur a fine multiple times the value of the criminal proceeds, or face both penalties.
The ICPC’s Assistant Chief Legal Officer, Dr. Osuobeni Ekoi Akponimisingha, filed these charges on January 7, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
