A Federal High Court in Kaduna has ordered the interim forfeiture of N1.373 billion to the federal government following allegations of misappropriation linked to the Kaduna State government under former Governor Nasir El-Rufai. Justice G. M. Kabara issued the ruling on February 28, 2025, after the Federal Government filed a request on February 14, 2025.
Court records reveal that the seized funds were funneled into the account of Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited and have since been transferred to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) recovery account at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The forfeiture is part of an extensive corruption investigation into the financial activities of Kaduna State government officials between 2015 and 2023, a period spanning El-Rufai’s tenure as governor.
Sources indicate that the funds were recovered during probes into alleged misappropriation, raising questions about the financial dealings of the past administration. The case, filed under FHC/KD/C5/28/2025, is being prosecuted under the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act, 2006, and the Proceeds of Crime (Recovery and Management) Act, 2022.
Read also: ICPC seeks forfeiture of N1.3B linked to Kaduna government officials hidden in Sterling Bank
To ensure transparency, the court has directed that a public notice be published in two national newspapers, allowing any interested parties to contest the permanent forfeiture of the funds. Justice Kabara emphasized in the ruling: “The defendant is hereby ordered to temporarily forfeit the sum of N1,373,180,510.07 to the federal government of Nigeria.”
Kaduna Marts JV Nigeria Limited has been formally charged, and legal proceedings are set to continue as the court adjourned the case to April 8, 2025. The ruling marks a significant step in the federal government’s ongoing crackdown on corruption and financial misconduct within public institutions.
