The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has filed a five-count charge of embezzlement against Jimi Lawal, a former Senior Special Adviser to Malam Nasir El-Rufai, the ex-Governor of Kaduna State, along with three others. The case, registered as FCH/KD/16c/2025, was filed on January 15 at the Federal High Court in Kaduna by Dr. Osuobeni Ekpi Akponimishingha, ICPC’s Assistant Chief Legal Officer.
Jimi Lawal is accused of misappropriating public funds during his tenure as a public officer in Kaduna State in 2018. According to the ICPC, he allegedly diverted N10 million from the Kaduna State Accountant-General’s Operational Account into the bank account of Solar Life Nigeria Limited, for which he was the sole signatory.
The ICPC stated that Lawal “ought to have known” the funds were proceeds of corruption, violating Section 18(2)(d) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, which carries penalties under Section 18(3) of the same Act.
In another charge, Lawal is accused of taking N47.84 million from the Kaduna State Ministry of Finance’s account in July 2018. Additionally, in September 2018, he allegedly diverted N7.32 million from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue account into Solar Life Nigeria Limited’s account.
The ICPC further alleged, “While serving as a public officer in Kaduna State in September 2018, Jimi Lawal transferred N7,320,562 from the Kaduna State Internally Generated Revenue account to the Solar Life Nigeria Limited account, which he solely controlled.” The commission maintained that Lawal “ought to have known” these funds were proceeds of corruption, violating the Money Laundering Act.
In October 2024, during an investigation, Lawal allegedly provided false information to ICPC officials. He claimed that the N64.8 million—received in three separate tranches of N10 million, N47.84 million, and N7.32 million—was paid as estacode to two individuals, Bariatu Yusuf Mohammed and Aisha Dikko. However, the ICPC argued that this statement was false, an offence under Section 25(1)(a) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000, punishable under Section 25(1)(b).
The ICPC also noted that in August 2024, Lawal was detained and interrogated over a fraudulent N11 billion light rail project. It was discovered that no contract file existed for the project, yet the entire amount had allegedly been paid in full.
The commission has urged the Federal High Court in Kaduna to prosecute Lawal and his co-defendants to the fullest extent of the law. If convicted, they face severe penalties under the Money Laundering Act and the Corrupt Practices Act.
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