The Kaduna House of Assembly has recommended the trial of former Governor Nasir El-Rufai for alleged embezzlement of N423 billion during his tenure as governor.
The recommendation was contained in a report submitted by the ad hoc committee of the house established to look into all contracts, loans, and finances during El-Rufai’s tenure.
The ad hoc committee chairman, Henry Zacharia, presented the report to the house during its plenary on Wednesday, June 5.
The report stated that most of the loans obtained during El-Rufai’s administration were not used for the intended purpose and that in certain instances, the proper procedures were not followed in obtaining the loans.
Upon receiving the report, Yusuf Liman, the Speaker of the Kaduna House of Assembly, said the El-Rufai administration embezzled N423 billion, leaving the state burdened with enormous obligations.
The committee recommended that security and anti-corruption agencies look into and prosecute El-Rufai and a few other indicted members of his cabinet.
The ex governor and the officials, the report added, abused their positions by awarding contracts without following the proper procedures, diverting public funds, money laundering, and heavily indebting Kaduna State.
The committee also suggested that the state universal basic education board chairman and Kaduna State Commissioner of Finance, Shizer Badda, who held the same position under El-Rufai, be suspended immediately.
El-Rufai served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023. He was elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
