ICPC Operatives Arrest NIMASA Former DG, Bashir Jamoh In Kaduna Amid Rumoured Governorship Bid

Operatives of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC) have arrested and detained the former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Bashir Jamoh.

Jamoh was reportedly intercepted by armed ICPC operatives in Kaduna State on Monday while returning from a court engagement.

Sources said the anti-graft agency officials subsequently conducted a search of his residence before whisking him away to Abuja for interrogation.

The arrest comes on the heels of a massive N300 billion corruption petition filed against him in May 2025 by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP).

The petition alleged systemic financial irregularities during his 2020–2024 tenure, including the leasing of speedboats at inflated costs and the unauthorised recruitment of over 500 individuals.

The timing of the ICPC’s move has sparked intense debate in Kaduna, where Jamoh is widely rumored to be a frontrunner for the 2027 gubernatorial race.

Supporters of the former maritime chief are already crying foul, suggesting the arrest is a “pre-emptive strike” by political rivals to stall his momentum.

“This has the hallmarks of a political plot,” a source close to the Jamoh camp whispered. “They waited until his governorship bid gained traction to dust off old petitions.”

However, investigators are reportedly focusing on more than just “political rumors.” Jamoh’s tenure was previously rocked by a N500million fine imposed on NIMASA by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria in late 2023 over “fraudulent financial statements,” a scandal that led to his disqualification from certifying financial reports.

The ICPC probe is expected to drill into the “Deep Blue Project” and the suspicious escalation of NIMASA’s training budget, which reportedly jumped from N66 million in 2019 to N1.6 billion during Jamoh’s watch without clear results.

As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC has yet to release an official statement or file formal charges.  (SaharaReporters)