Money Laundering: El-Rufai's ex-Chief of Staff denied bail

Alhaji Muhammad Bashir Sa’idu, a former Chief of Staff to a former Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai, has yet to be granted bail over alleged money laundering.

The state high court has adjourned the ruling on his bail application to January 16, 2025.

Sa’idu was arrested by security agencies on December 30, 2024 along the Kaduna-Zaria highway. He was then arraigned before the Chief Magistrates’ Court in Rigasa and was remanded at the Kaduna Correctional Centre.

A security source said Sa’idu implicated El-Rufai in his confessional statement to the police.

“The former Chief of Staff alleged that he sold 45 million US dollars belonging to the Kaduna State Government, equivalent to N18.4 billion at the significantly undervalued rate of N410 per dollar. This was instead of the parallel market rate of N498 per dollar, with criminal intent, resulting in a N3.9 billion loss to the government in 2022,” the source said.

The prosecution further alleged that the N3.9 billion discrepancy was laundered by Sa’idu, in violation of Section 18 of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

But the counsel for Sai’du, Oladipo Tolani (SAN) while responding to the allegations in an interview with Daily Trust described the allegations as baseless.

“Bashir Saidu has been in detention since 2nd January, 2025 when he was captured along the Kaduna-Zaria highway at Rigachiku, Igabi Local Government Area of the state.

“After his detention, we filed an application for bail which was argued today (yesterday). Meanwhile, yesterday (Wednesday), the state government filed a charge against Saidu. The matter was adjourned for ruling on 16th January, 2025,” he said.

Reacting to claims that Saidu indicated his former principal at the court, he said, “Whoever told you that evidence was given by a chief security officer is a lie. No evidence was taken. No testimony was given.”

Money Laundering: El-Rufai’s ex-Chief of Staff denied bail