Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna, has sued the state assembly over a claim that his administration diverted N423 billion.

El-Rufai filed the fundamental rights suit through Abdulhakeem Mustapha, a senior advocate of Nigeria, at the federal high court in Kaduna.

On June 5, the Kaduna assembly recommended the probe of el-Rufai over the allegation of public funds diversion and money laundering.

The Kaduna assembly made the recommendation after a report by an ad hoc committee set up to investigate the state’s finances under the administration of el-Rufai.

El-Rufai was governor of Kaduna from 2015 to 2023.

In the suit, el-Rufai asked the court to declare the report unconstitutional, null and void for violating his right to a fair hearing.

BACKGROUND

In April, the Kaduna assembly inaugurated a 13-member committee to examine the loans, grants, and project implementation in the state during el-Rufai’s tenure.

The lawmakers said most of the loans obtained and projects implemented did not follow the “due process”.

They also called for the prosecution of some of the commissioners and officials who worked under el-Rufai.

Speaking after the submission of the report, Yusuf Liman, speaker of the Kaduna assembly, said the alleged diversion of public funds and money laundering should be referred to law enforcement agencies.

“That the governor of Kaduna state between 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2023, as the chief executive officer of the state, breached his oath of office contained in the 7th schedule to the Constitution of Nigeria as amended and failed to exercise due diligence in the administration of the state,” Liman had said.

“Plunging the state into unwanted, unjustified and fraudulent domestic and foreign debt over and above the total loans obtained by Kaduna State from 1965 to 1999, from 1965 to December 31st 2014, and majority were obtained without due process.

“Reckless award of contracts without due process leading to several abandoned projects, despite payments with no record of utilisation, and denying the state of the needed resources for development.

“Diversion of funds and money laundering contrary to extant laws and regulations, and accordingly should be referred to the law enforcement agencies for immediate investigation and prosecution.”

A city council in South Korea said today their first administrative officer robot was defunct after throwing itself down some stairs, with local media mourning the country’s first robot suicide.

South Korea’s Gumi City Council announced the robot was found unresponsive after having apparently fallen down a two-meter (six-and-a-half foot) staircase last week.

Witnesses saw the robot officer “circling in one spot as if something was there” before the accident occurred, but the exact cause of the fall is still being investigated, a city council official told AFP.

“Pieces have been collected and will be analysed by the company,” the official said, adding that the robot had “helped with daily document deliveries, city promotion, and delivered information” to local residents.

“It was officially a part of the city hall, one of us,” another official said. “It worked diligently.”

Headlines in local media questioned the apparent robot suicide, saying: “Why did the diligent civil officer do it?” or asking “Was work too hard” for the robot?

Appointed in August 2023, the robot was one of the first to be used in this manner in the city.

Made by Bear Robotics, a Californian robot-waiter startup, the robot worked from 9 am to 6 pm and had its own civil service officer card.

Unlike other robots, which can typically only use one floor, the Gumi City Council robot could call an elevator and move floors on its own.

South Korea is one of the most enthusiastic users of robots globally.

It has the highest robot density in the world, with one industrial robot for every 10 employees, according to the International Federation of Robotics.

Gumi City Council is currently not planning to adopt a second robot officer at this moment, it told AFP.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has withdrawn its naira abuse case against Cubana Chief Priest.

On April 16, the antigraft agency filed a three-count charge against Cubana Chief Priest over alleged abuse of the naira.

Cubana Chief Priest was alleged to have sprayed and tampered with naira notes during an event at the Eko Hotel in Lagos.

However, the nightlife promoter pleaded not guilty to the charges and was granted bail of ₦10 million.

At the last adjourned date on May 2, Chikaosolu Ojukwu (SAN), the defence counsel, informed the court that the parties were exploring settlement and had applied that the matter be settled under the provisions of section 14(2) of the EFCC Act.

On June 5, Ojukwu applied for a withdrawal of the preliminary objection.

Since there was no objection from the prosecution, the court granted the request.

At the resumption of sitting in Lagos on Tuesday, Kehinde Ogundare, the federal high court judge presiding over the matter, directed Cubana to forfeit the sum of ₦10 million to the federal government.

He cited this as a part of an out-of-court deal the defendant agreed to with the EFCC in place of the charge.

Ogundare adopted the terms of the settlement agreement submitted by the EFCC.

Bilkisu Buhari-Bala, the counsel for the EFCC, informed the court that the parties in the charge entered into the out-of-court settlement and it was duly signed.

Chikaosolu Ojukwu, the defendant’s counsel, commended the anti-graft agency for resolving the matter.

He said the defendant is equally “remorseful and promises to turn over a new leaf going forward”.

Ojukwu also said that the consequence of the settlement is for the court to dismiss the charge.

Ogundare, in his short ruling, adopted the terms of settlement and consequently struck out the charge.

He said the terms of the settlement agree with Section 14 (2) of the EFCC Establishment Act, 2004.

“The defendant shall enter into a bond with the EFCC to be of good behaviour and never indulge in any economic and financial crime or related offences,” he said.

“The defendant shall engage in rigorous and intensive sensitisation and/or campaign against the abuse of coins and notes issued under the CBN Act as legal tender.

“The defendant shall bi-monthly post on his various social media handles a minimum of two video clips of his sensitisation/campaign against abuse of naira and sundry offences.

“The Defendant shall pay to the consolidated revenue fund of Federation such sum not below the sum of ten million naira (₦10,000,000:00) only upon the execution of this agreement.”