Forum for Good Governance Supports Arrest of Ex-Kaduna Commissioner Over Alleged Corruption
The Forum for Good Governance (FFGG) has expressed its support for the arrest of Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu, the former Kaduna State Commissioner for Finance and Local Government, following allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of public funds.
Sa’idu, who served under Governor Nasir Elrufai’s administration, was apprehended and taken to the Kaduna Correctional Centre after being accused of laundering N3.96 billion and misappropriating N244 million between 2015 and 2023. This action follows a petition detailing the charges against him.
In a statement released by Ahmadu Ibrahim Kauru, the group’s Director, on Thursday, the Forum emphasized that the arrest was entirely justified, particularly given the serious nature of the allegations involving the misappropriation of public funds. The group cautioned that any attempt to politicize the matter or interfere with the legal process would be met with strong resistance.
The Forum pointed out that recovering looted funds is particularly crucial at a time when Kaduna State is grappling with significant financial debt. It affirmed that Sa’idu’s arrest for alleged financial crimes was completely valid and must not be made a political issue.
Among the allegations is the claim that Sa’idu facilitated the sale of $45 million in state-owned foreign currency at a significantly undervalued exchange rate of N410 per dollar, rather than the parallel market rate of N498, which resulted in a loss of over N3.96 billion to the state government. Furthermore, Sa’idu is accused of failing to account for proceeds from the sale of government properties in Marafa Estate, which amounted to approximately N244 million.
The statement also noted that Sa’idu’s financial dealings were previously investigated by the Kaduna State House of Assembly, and the findings were forwarded to anti-corruption agencies such as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC).
The FFGG expressed satisfaction that police officials confirmed Sa’idu’s arrest was based on credible allegations of financial crime and was not politically motivated. They affirmed that he will remain in detention while investigations continue.
