K23 Movement Demands Elrufai's Arrest, Prosecution for Looting State Treasury

K23 Movement Demands  Elrufai's Arrest, Prosecution for Looting State Treasury 

... Insists on Refund of Looted Funds

Apparently angry about the outcome of the recent investigation carried out by Kaduna State House of Assembly, group under umbrella of K23 Movement called the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and relevant agencies to arrest of former Kaduna State Governor, Mal Nasir Elrufai without delay. 

The group , which described the revelations  by KDHA as 'monumental corruption' insisted  El-Rufai must be Prosecuted for all the Charges Levelled Against his Administration. 

"The corruption perpetrated during his 8-years as the Executive Governor of Kaduna State necessitated our convening this Press Conference to call on the Fourth Estate of the Realm,  anti-corruption agencies, civil society organizations and well-meaning Nigerians to stand up against corruption."It disclosed. 

Speaking during a press conference held Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) ,Kaduna State Council ,the Coordinator of the K23 Movement Mal Bashir Bello, who stated this said, "Failure to be accountable to the people, who were made to carry the burden of debt  in the past are still carrying and would in future continue to suffer from the burden of debt left behind that has grounded the state to the point bankruptcy."

While commending the Kaduna State House of Assembly for taking the bull by the horns in rising to the occasion by discharging its legislative responsibility of holding the Executive to account, he further said: "The report  of the House of Assembly Committee has exposed the reckless abuse of power, gargantuan corruption, financial banditry, disregard for due process, and criminal wastage of state resources perpetrated by the erstwhile administration of Mal. Nasir El-Rufai. 

"The voluminous report, which is in public domain has left no stone unturned in revealing the financial scandal that the administration was involved in.

"The report, among others, revealed that between May 2015 when the administration of Mal Nasir El-Rufai came to being to its exit in May 2013, the state incurred a liability of domestic and foreign loans to the tune of N98,912,000,000.00 and $758,141,699 respectively, which were mostly obtained without regard to extant financial rules and due process and were mostly diverted for other uses other than those to which they were Intended.

"These frightening revelations revealed the kleptocracy that characterised the administration. It is sad and pathetic that some of these loans were obtained in the guise of settling the entitlements  tens of thousands of state employees wrongly disengaged by the state governor on the pretext of rationalization. 

"Many of these terminated employees have died out of frustration while awaiting their  settlements. We also hailed the patriotic spirit of the Speaker for ordering the investigation, and the committee saddled with the responsibility, for producing such a detailed and balanced report."

He however, praised the impartiality of Governor Uba Sani for obeying his conscience and being steadfast by refusing to interfere with the investigation of the Committee despite mounting pressure by elements from within and without.

"At this juncture, we strongly echo our call on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC)  and all relevant security agencies concerned to immediately act on the report by arresting and prosecuting  Mal Nasir El-Rufai and all his collaborators indicted by the report. 

"This will ensure justice for the over 14 million people of Kaduna State who had been made to suffer eight years misrule, untold hardship and frustration under a regime that is both vindictive and kleptocratic and virtually converted the State into a private property for the convenience of family and friends.  Kaduna must have justice without delay as justice delayed is justice denied."