The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has concluded plans to arraign the Chairman of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC), Professor Sani Lawan Malumfashi, and two senior officials of the commission over an alleged ₦1 billion money laundering scheme.
According to a statement signed by the ICPC’s Director of Public Enlightenment and Education, Demola Bakare, the arraignment is scheduled to take place on Monday, July 21, 2025, at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Those to be arraigned alongside Malumfashi include Mr. Anas Muhammed Mustapha, Secretary of KANSIEC, and Mr. Ado Garba, a Deputy Director in the Accounts Department.
The anti-corruption agency alleged that the three officials conspired between November and December 2024 to engage in large-scale illegal cash transactions, in violation of financial regulations and anti-money laundering laws.
The ICPC, in the charge sheet, accused the defendants of transferring ₦1,020,000,000.00 from KANSIEC’s Unity Bank account to SLM Agro Global Farm, a company that had no contractual dealings with the commission.
While the defendants reportedly told investigators that the money was meant to be converted into cash to pay ad hoc staff during the 2024 local government elections, they claimed the cash was returned to KANSIEC by the company. However, the ICPC said its findings contradicted this explanation.
The Commission revealed that documentary evidence from Unity Bank showed that a request for the transfer of ₦59.4 million was made with a detailed list of 510 electoral officers’ bank accounts, and the bank processed the payments directly to the beneficiaries through standard banking procedures.
“Their claim that the banking system would have delayed ad hoc staff payments was a mere smokescreen to justify money laundering,” the ICPC stated.
Further investigations reportedly uncovered discrepancies in the election budget. A document mistakenly titled “Operation Budget 2025 Elections” allocated ₦20 million for the screening and verification of candidates across all 44 LGAs and 484 wards in Kano State. However, the Commission found that no field travel took place, as all candidates were screened at the KANSIEC headquarters in Kano at their own expense.
Despite this, one of the accused officials claimed the ₦20 million was disbursed in cash to the screening team a claim the ICPC has dismissed as false.
