The
immediate past National Security Advicer, Col Sambo Dasuki, rtd, has opened a
can of worms regarding the $2bn arms deal, saying the money was shared among
some ex-governors, Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and former
Ministers, The Nation reports.
DAILY
POST recalls that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and a
Federal Government committee are investigating the disappearance of $2bn meant
for the procurement of arms during the administration of former President,
Goodluck Jonathan.
In
a bid to unravel the mysterious disappearance of the fund, Dasuki was on
Tuesday arrested by the Department of State Services, DSS, and was later
transferred to the EFCC.
A
source from the EFCC who spoke with The Nation Newspaper on the revelation made
by Dasuki, 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.”
Following
this revelation by Dasuki, the anti-graft agency is said to be getting ready to
quiz all those involved in the $9m cash seized by South Africa.
The
report also quoted another source from the commission who pleaded anonymity
said some suspects had admitted to collecting huge sums of money from the
Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA while Dasuki was at the helm of
affirs.
“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.
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