The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a five-count charge against Jimi Lawal, an ex-aide of Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna, over allegations of corruption and money laundering.
Lawal was a senior adviser to the former governor and a
counsellor at the Kaduna Economic Development Council from 2019 to 2023.
He also served as el-Rufai’s special adviser during his
first term.
Osuobeni Akponimishingha, ICPC’s assistant chief legal
officer, filed the suit marked FCH/KD/16c/2025 on Wednesday before a federal
high court in Kaduna.
Lawal will stand trial on a three-count charge alongside
Umar Waziri, Yusuf Inuwa, and Solar Life Nigeria Limited.
The ICPC alleged that, sometime in 2018, Lawal “indirectly
took control of the sum of N10 million from the Kaduna State Accountant General
Operational Account No. 0211139802 via the Guaranty Trust Bank Automated System
(GAPS) and paid it into the Guaranty Trust Bank Account 0130133086 of Solar
Life Nigeria Limited, an account for which he was the sole signatory.”
The commission said the first defendant ought to have known
that the funds were part of the proceeds of corruption.
In count two of the charge, Lawal is accused of indirectly
taking control of N47.8 million from the Kaduna state ministry of finance
through GTB account No. 0130133086 in July 2018.
Additionally, the ICPC alleged that in “September 2018,
while serving as senior special adviser/counsellor to El-Rufai, Lawal took
control of N7.3 million from the Kaduna state internally generated revenue
account”.
The funds were said to have been “domiciled in United Bank
for Africa (UBA) account 10200067882 and later transferred to the Guaranty
Trust Bank account 0130133086 of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, an account for
which he was the sole signatory”.
The ICPC added that “Lawal ought to have known the funds
were proceeds of an unlawful act of corruption, which contravenes section
18(2)(d) and is punishable under Section 18(3) of the Money Laundering
(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022”.
In the third count, the ICPC alleged that in “October 2024,
Lawal made false statements to Messrs Wellington Nkemadu and Gudi Johnson
Daniel during their investigative duties”.
According to the ICPC, “Lawal claimed that the total sum of
N64,800,562—received in three tranches of N10,000,000, N47,840,000, and
N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Government through the Guaranty Trust Bank
Account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited—was paid to Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and
Aisha Dikko as estacode”.
“Lawal knew the statement was false and, in doing so, committed
an offence under Section 25(1)(a) and punishable under Section 25(1)(b) of the
Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000,” the commission added.
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