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.
“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.”
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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