Fresh facts have emerged on the actual reasons behind the arrest, arraignment and detention of Bashir Sa’idu, former chief of staff to Kaduna state former Governor Nasiru el-Rufai.
Security officials involved in the investigation of the former finance commissioner informed 21st CENTURY CHRONICLE that the ex-CoS was arrested, arraigned and detained for various charges of corruption and money laundering.
Some of the cases involved a N4 billion alleged money laundering case, as well as alleged stealing and criminal conversion of N244 million, among others.
Mr Bashir served as commissioner for local governments and that of finance as well as chief of staff for el-Rufai between 2015 and 2023.
The security source who sought anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter said the police arrested Mr Bashir after receiving a petition against him.
The source said contrary to speculations in some quarters, “the Nigerian Police is in receipt of a petition against Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu, accusing him of Money Laundering to the tune of N3, 960,000.00 and Criminal Breach of Trust, including Criminal Misappropriation, Stealing and Malicious Conversion of N244, 000,000.”
“So, to impute that the arrest of Alhaji Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu was done by Operation Fushin Kada, formerly Operation Yaki, which was established to hunt down bandits and other criminal elements, is now being used to harass political opponents, is not just preposterous but a red-herring to divert the weighty allegations against the accused,” the top security official said.
Official documents reviewed by this newspaper on Wednesday revealed that around June 2021 or thereabouts, Mr Bashir “sold hard currency belonging to Kaduna State Government to the tune of $45 million, equivalent to N18, 450, 000 at the ridiculous rate of N410 per dollar, instead of the parallel market value of N22,410 at N498 per dollar, with Criminal intent, thereby causing loss to the Government in the sum of N3,960,000.
“The difference of N3,960,000 was suspected to be laundered by Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu and the implication of this breaches Section 18 of the Money Laundering(Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Not only that, sometime in 2018 or 2020 or thereabouts, the same Mr Bashir Sai ‘du served as Chairman of the Committee that sold Government Houses at Marafa Estate in Kaduna metropolis.
“The sum of N244 million or thereabouts was realised as proceeds from that sale. The accused could not account for the money, despite numerous requests for him to do so, by relevant Government officials,” it was revealed.
“This constitutes criminal breach of trust by a public servant, contrary to Section 300 of the Penal Code of Kaduna State 2017,” another security official involved in the investigation said.
The official said, “For this reason, it is not out of place for any police officer to carry out arrest, investigate and prosecute anyone accused of committing any offence, with or without formal complaint, provided a prima facie case is established against the accused.”
It will be recalled that Kaduna State House of Assembly had recently carried out investigations on monies expended and contracts awarded between 2015 and 2023.
The state assembly’s report had found Mr Bashir wanting and the report of the investigation was forwarded to the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The security official said “the sale of Marafa Estate featured prominently. Contrary to rumour being peddled around, Mohammed Bashir Sa’idu is still being investigated by both EFCC and ICPC and his international passport is being withheld.”
Mr Sa’idu was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Rigasa, Igabi local government of Kaduna state on Tuesday.
Magistrate Muhammad Lawal Musa had ordered that Sai’idu be remanded at the Kaduna Central Prison.
He adjourned the case to January 21, 2025 for further hearing.
