The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed charges against a former commissioner of finance under the administration of Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Bashir Saidu, over alleged financial misappropriation and money laundering.
The embattled former commissioner was arrested some weeks ago by the Kaduna State Police command over allegations of diversion of public funds, and was later remanded at the correctional centre in the Kaduna State capital.
An Assistant legal officer at ICPC, Osuobeni Akponimisingha, filed the case against the former finance commissioner at the Federal High Court in Kaduna on Tuesday.
He was charged alongside a staff of the Ministry of Finance, Ibrahim Muktar.
According to the suit number FHC /KD/IC/ 2025, the defendants are charged with a two-count charge of money laundering.
Part of the charge sheet reads: “Sometime in March 2022 or thereabouts, Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Saidu, who at that time was commissioner of finance, did accept cash payment of the sum of N155m from one Ibrahim Muktar exceeding the amount authorised by law, which sum you received in cash through proxy to wit, Muazu Abdu, your Special Assistant and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section2 (a) and punishable under the Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
ICPC also accused of former commissioner of indirectly taking control of the sum of N155m received in cash from Muazu Abdu which he reasonably ought to have known, formed part of the proceeds of an unlawful activity to wit: corruption and hereby committing an offence contrary to Section 18(2) (d) and punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Saidu served as the commissioner of local government affairs, chief of staff to the government house and Later commissioner of finance under the El-Rufai administration.
The Kaduna State House of Assembly has indicted El-Rufai’s administration for allegedly siphoning over N423 billion from state funds.
