Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki has made some
“mind- boggling” revelations on the $2billion “phoney” arms contracts, a source
said yesterday.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and a Federal
Government committee are probing how huge sums of money meant for procurement
of arms went down the drain during the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration.
An interim report indicates that about $2billion may have been
disbursed for inexplicable reasons.
Dasuki was arrested on Tuesday by the Department of State Services (DSS). He was transferred to the EFCC. An EFCC source said: “When Dasuki was brought in, he initially refused to write any statement, alleging that he had been subjected to media trial. “I think the ex-NSA decided not to open up based on the advice of his lawyers that he should leave everything for the open court.
Dasuki was arrested on Tuesday by the Department of State Services (DSS). He was transferred to the EFCC. An EFCC source said: “When Dasuki was brought in, he initially refused to write any statement, alleging that he had been subjected to media trial. “I think the ex-NSA decided not to open up based on the advice of his lawyers that he should leave everything for the open court.
“The EFCC operatives, however,
obliged Dasuki a copy of the statement by a former Director of Finance in the
Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Shaibu Salisu in which the
latter made some implicating statements.
“Dasuki, who was shocked by Salisu’s confessions, repeatedly
asked: ‘You mean Salisu wrote all these! You mean he said these! Give me a pen
and paper’. “Thereafter, Dasuki decided to open a can of worms. He gave a long
list of PDP chieftains who collected money from the Office of the NSA. “He
mentioned the names of a former Deputy National Chairman of PDP, ex-governors
and ex-ministers and many others.
“As I am talking to you, Dasuki is still writing his statement.
The disclosures of the ex- Director of Finance in ONSA have assisted greatly in
getting to the bottom of the armsgate . “So, the investigation is still on. We
will certainly arrest more suspects soon.”
There were indications that the anti-graft commission may extend
its probe to the seizure of $9million cash by South Africa and quiz all those
involved in the botched deal. An Israeli suspect implicated in the deal is said
to have bolted after throwing a lavish party at his Wuse residence. Former
Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, AIT Chairman Raymond Dokpesi and
former Minister Bashir Yuguda were yesterday battling for bail.
It was learnt that the EFCC
was planning to arraign some of the suspects in court to enable the agency keep
the more than 22 suspects being interrogated in custody. The EFCC is said to be
mindful of a situation in which the high-profile suspects will rush to court to
seek the enforcement of their fundamental rights and truncate the investigation.
A source, who pleaded not to be named, said many suspects had
admitted collecting huge sums of money from the Office of the National Security
Adviser (ONSA) when Dasuki was in charge. Said the source: “Our investigators
have isolated these areas of probe: Were the funds budgeted for? If not, what
informed extra-budgetary expenses? How much was actually voted for arms
procurement? How were the funds sourced? Who or which agency awarded all the
contracts? Who were the contractors? Was there any evidence of delivery of equipment?
What will make any Minister to run to ONSA for funds?
“These are the areas our detectives have been mandated to look at.”
“These are the areas our detectives have been mandated to look at.”
On other suspects, the source explained that some of the diverted
funds had been traced to a bureau de change owned by a former member of the
staff of the ONSA. “Some Bureau de Change operators were accomplices of many of
these suspects in custody. We are tracking every transaction. “On daily basis,
we will keep on inviting more suspects because the syndicate has a complex networking,”
the source added. As at press time last night, Bafarawa, Dokpesi and Yuguda
were still battling for bail.
A source said: “We have not released any of them because they are
clearing some grey areas.” Another source in EFCC said the agency would extend
its probe to the seizure of the $9.34m cash smuggled into South Africa. The
cash was confiscated by the South Africa from an Israeli arms dealer of
Cyprus-based ESD International, who acted on behalf of the Federal Government
to procure arms for Nigeria. Part of the cash was for six “civilian” helicopters
from a South African company, Tier One.
The National Prosecuting Authority of South Africa recently
received a court permission to return the cash to Nigeria.
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