By Kolawole Ojebisi
A temporary reprieve came the way of Bashir Saidu, former Chief of Staff to ex-Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Wednesday
This is as the former top functionary regained his freedom after spending 50 days in detention over alleged money laundering.
El-Rufai confirmed Saidu’s release on Wednesday, while describing his detention as “unjustified incarceration” and claiming it was politically motivated.
“Bashir has been my friend for over 53 years – a Barewa College classmate, former Commissioner of Local Government, and of Finance, and former Chief of Staff,” El-Rufai said in an X tweet.
“That is the main reason behind his persecution, and the payback to those behind it will be known on or before the 2027 elections, in sha Allah,” El-Rufai added.
Recall that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) arraigned Saidu and Ibrahim Muktar, a civil servant in the state’s Ministry of Finance, on two counts of money laundering at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
The charges alleged that Saidu accepted a cash payment of N155m from Muktar in March 2022, exceeding the legally permitted amount, and indirectly took control of the funds, which he reasonably ought to have known were proceeds of corruption.
According to the ICPC, Saidu’s actions violated Section 2(a) and were punishable under Section 19(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Last year, the Kaduna State House of Assembly set up a panel to probe the financial dealings of the El-Rufai’s administration; and the panel in its report said it uncovered an alleged N423bn theft, an allegation the former governor vehemently denied and tagged politically motivated.
Saidu is the third of El-Rufai’s appointees to be charged with corruption by the ICPC.
