The Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to arrest the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

In a petition submitted to the ICPC, the group urged the anti-corruption agency to commence an immediate probe of El-Rufai’s alleged ₦423bn theft.

The petition is coming against the backdrop of a report by the Kaduna State House of Assembly indicting El-Rufai and his appointees for alleged misappropriation of loans and theft to the tune of ₦423bn.

On Wednesday, members of the Kaduna Citizens Watch for Good Governance marched to the ICPC office on Wurno Road, Kaduna to demand El-Rufai’s immediate arrest and probe.

On June 20, 2024, the group had also led a protest to the Kaduna State Government House asking Governor Uba Sani to invite anti-graft agency to arrest his predecessor.

Addressing newsmen shortly after submitting their petition to the ICPC, the Chairman of the group, Victor Duniya, said they submitted a similar petition to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja.

He said, “Yesterday, the 2nd of July 2024, we officially lodged petitions at the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and the zonal office of Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission Kaduna against the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir Ahmad El-rufai, and many members of his administration that the Kaduna State House of Assembly ad hoc committee report on sourcing and usage of domestic loans from 29th May 2015 to 29th May 2003 indicted.

“Our petitions requested immediate investigations, arrests, and prosecutions of Mallam El-Rufai and his appointees who were involved in the mismanagement, siphoning, and many illegal financial and administrative activities contained in the report.

“Holding the former governor and those that pillaged the treasury and shortchanged people’s interest accountable will deter other elected and appointed public officials from mindless looting of public treasury with impunity.

“We have absolute confidence in the capacity and determination of the anti-graft agencies in combating corruption in Nigeria.”