$2.1 Arms Fraud: Over $120m Traced To 11 Foreign Accounts, See Full List of Accounts, Amount Transferred

Much of the $2.1billion arms funds put in care of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) by the Jonathan Administration was paid into 11 different accounts in the United Kingdom (UK), United States of America (USA) and Niger Republic, further probe of the money has revealed.

Dozens of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leaders, top government functionaries and retired/ serving military officers had earlier been linked with the sharing of the slush funds.

Some of them are already facing charges in connection with the funds disbursement.

The  Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) which is investigating what became of the money which was originally earmarked for the procurement of arms to prosecute the  anti-Boko Haram war has traced payment transfers to more the foreign accounts.

Sources said yesterday that more accounts into which the funds were paid by the ONSA might be uncovered in the next few weeks.

The agency may seek collaboration with its counterparts in other nations to determine the legality or otherwise of such transfers.

Although the payment mandates indicated that the wired funds were for technical equipment or supply of vehicles, the EFCC is interested in establishing  whether or not the items were delivered and if the costs of the items were inflated or not.

Some of the transfers, according to sources, were effected through ONSA Foreign Operations Account No. 100367-USD-CABANK- with FBN Bank UK and a few others through the Central Bank of Nigeria and some commercial banks in the country.

Transfers being investigated are as follows:

• $10million (July 11, 2014) BSIC-NIGER, Code Bank NE 110, Swift Code BSAHNENI, Account 020383700112 );
• $38million paid to Societe Nigerienne de Banque (H0064B0100125111123981/22 CODEBIC( May 20, 2014)
• $16million to a different account in Societe Nigerienne de Banque (H0064B0100125111123981/41 CODEBIC (May 20, 2014)
• €1,401,869 transferred to SONIBANK (Republique du Niger (October 2, 2013)
• €1, 395,346.84 to another account in SONIBANK( Republique du Niger on December 11, 2013
• *€2,252,252.25 wired to SONIBANK (Republique du Niger) on April 1, 2014.

• $36million remitted into CitiBank N.A.Canada Square, Canary Wharf London E14 5LB on May 20,2014;
• $5million to CitiBank N.A. Canada Square, Canary Wharf London E14 5LB on June 4, 2014
• $30million to CitiBank N.A.Canada Square, Canary Wharf London E14 5LB on March 9, 2015
• $50million to Deutsche Bank Trust Company in New York on March 9, 2015
• $6, 954,000 to Deutsche Bank Trust Company in New York on April 21, 2015

A reliable source in EFCC said: “We have succeeded in retrieving documents relating to some funds that were wired abroad by ONSA. We were able to identify more than 11 foreign accounts and the actual remittances.

“Already, we are tracking what the funds were used for including payment for technical equipment and supply of vehicles. Our investigation includes determining whether or not the equipment were bought and delivered; and whether the cost prices were inflated or not.

“This crucial aspect of investigation accounted for why some military officers were handed over to the EFCC for investigation.

“We are also collaborating with anti-corruption agencies in other jurisdictions to determine the validity of such transfers and confirm if the funds were not laundered.

“The EFCC is being painstaking in its investigation to ensure fairness to all suspects under probe.

Responding to a question, the source said:”the EFCC has recovered $2.3million from a suspect involved in the arms procurement contract scandal in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).

“The affected person is a contractor and not one of the military officers referred to this agency. He has more money to refund and we have decided to keep his identity under wraps until full recovery of the slush funds is made.

“We also do not want to reveal his identity in order not to jeopardize ongoing investigation.”

The presidency had handed over a former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and 17 others, including 11 serving senior military officers and 22 companies, to EFCC for investigation on the alleged $2.1billion arms deals.

Apart from Badeh, others under investigation  are ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal M.D. Umar; a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki ; Col. N. Ashinze , who was the Special Military Assistant to the ex-NSA; and a former Chief of Air Staff, A.N. Amosu; the most senior Air Force officer, AVM A. M. Mamu (the Chief of Administration); AVM O.T.Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters);  AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Officer Tactical Air Command, Makurdi;  AVM J.B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF); and AVM JA Kayode-Beckley(Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre); AVM T Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings) four top officers at the Defence Headquarters(DHQ), Air Cdre AO Ogunjobi; Air Cdre GMD Gwani; Air Cdre SO Makinde; and Air Cdre AY Lassa.

Source: The Nation

Dasukigate: EFCC Discovers Fresh N16.5b Shared By Police IG, Army, Others, Another N10b 'Fraudulent' Withdrawal

The ongoing investigation of the activities of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has revealed that about N16.5 billion was released to the Nigeria Police,  Nigerian Air Force,  Nigerian Army and ONSA for “logistic requirement for 2015 elections.”

The breakdown is as follows: IGP General Election OPS Fund Account (N10billion); Nigerian Air Force OPS Account (N1billion); Nigerian Army Operations Account (N5billion) and  ONSA (N500million).

"All the payment details have been received from the Central Bank of Nigeria for scrutiny.

“This explains why some of the accused persons on trial were rearrested for questioning. We have been uncovering many transactions which require more explanation.”


Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is looking into how another N10 billion was withdrawn from Signature Bonus Account (oil block account) barely seven weeks to the inauguration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The cash was part of the N76 billion officially approved for withdrawal before the handover date to the new government.

As at March 31, 2015, there was about $726, 909, 118, 26 left in the account. But  a withdrawal mandate was issued on April 9, 2015 for either special services or use by the Petroleum Technology Development Fund(PTDF).

A memo by the Director of Funds (FD/LP2015/8/127/DF) said: “The AGF has directed that the following disbursements be effected from the balance of $726, 909, 118, 26 as at 31st March in the Signature Bonus Account: (i) ONSA (N10billion); (ii) DBN (N20billion) and (iii) PTDF ($150million).

“In view of the above, mandate for the  payment of N10 billion in favour of ONSA, based on the bank details, is enclosed abc for the AGF’s consideration and approval.

“The USD equivalent of the amount in Naira is to be debited to the Signature Bonus Account with  JP Morgan Chase, please.

“Kindly note that the other two expenditure items will be processed in the relevant files in due course.

“The above is submitted for the AGF’s consideration and approval and countersigning of the mandate for N10 billion abc.”

A reliable source in EFCC said: “We have been investigating massive withdrawal of funds for either special services or extraneous items in the last few weeks to the inauguration of this new administration.

“The total requests sent to the Accountant-General of the Federation  amounted to N76 billion but we have been trying to establish whether or not the three tranches were withdrawn before May 29, 2015 when the handover was effected.

“This latest N10 billion appears different from a similar amount deducted from CBN account for PDP Nomination Convention. The Mandate date was April 9, 2015and the nomination convention was in 2014.”

Dasukigate: Fresh N2.2b Fraud For Spiritual Battle EXPOSED

Besides the fortune sunk into phoney arms deals, no less than N2.2billion was spent on prayers against Boko Haram, it was learnt yesterday.

 Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration blew the cash on special prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war.

The cash was disbursed through the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), following a proposal by a former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa.

Baba-Kusa, in his statement of witness filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is facing trial with a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) and three others.

The others are Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited (owned by Baba-Kusa) and a former Director of Finance in ONSA, Shuaibu Salisu.

In the statement, Baba-Kusa said the N2.2billion was spent on prayers to hasten the defeat of Boko Haram. The cash was released in two tranches of N1,450,000,000 and N750,000,000.

Baba-Kusa told EFCC investigators that the contract proposal was verbal. But the suspect has promised to refund the N2.2billion by disposing of his assets. Baba-Kusa said: “I approached the former NSA and discussed Boko Haram problems and I suggested there is need for prayers and he considered and accepted in 2013 when he first came to office.

“I personally sponsored many people locally and some few to Saudi Arabia. Some monies were later paid into our companies, which we paid to some of the mallams. “I then arranged to recover my personal expense which I put into our own businesses.

 “We have been spending a lot from our businesses and personal accounts. Money paid through UBA, First Bank and ECOBANK. For Acacia Holdings Limited(A/C 1017330319-UBA); ECOBANK(0122012650); and First Bank(Reliance Referral Hospitals Limited A/C 2022394057). The total amount is N2,200,000,000 from October 2014 to April 2015.”

He told detectives that he is not an expert, “but I used some of the mallams to organise in Abuja, Zaria, Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Kaduna and Saudi Arabia covering 2013 to 2015.” He added: “I give them funds as required from time to time, ranging from N500,000 to N30million, depending on their needs, traveling, sadaqat and others for local expenses and travels to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj.

“I reminded the NSA many times before payments were made. We grew up together with the former NSA with common friends in ABU.

“Most of the payments in cash were meant to give out cash to people that have been organising prayers. Some transfers to Acacia to other banks were for logistics and also to some mallams in cash.”

The suspect also confirmed that the prayer contract was not documented. He added: “The proposal made to the former NSA was not documented by him or myself. The verbal proposal to him was for prayers to overcome Boko Haram within the shortest possible time.

“The engagement for prayers by organising some people to be praying was not formally written down. “There was no amount of money agreed on. I said to him, I will start organising, which he agreed and said he will see what he would give at a later time.

Baba-Kusa said he had an estimate of over N700million spent “from my own resources before I started to ask for money from him”. Some of these funds came from disposal of some of my land in Abuja. One in Maitama, one in Gudu and one in Guzape.

 The Maitama was a little over N200million; Guzape (N80m), Gudu(N18m), he told the EFCC. But, according to him, he kept no records of the money he gave to individual Mallams organising various groups. I requested for no acknowledgement from them when I gave money to them.”

He assured the EFCC that he would refund the said cash if he is able to dispose of his landed properties. He said: “I am making efforts to dispose of my properties in Abuja which would be over the total amount of N2.2billion. If the sales go through and the amount from the sales is made in full, I will make full payment.”

 In the 19 charges against the five suspects, Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited are alleged to have “between October 2014 and April 2015 in Abuja agreed to do an illegal act to wit : dishonestly receiving property to wit: an aggregate sum of N2,200,000,000 being part of the funds in the accounts of the Office of National Security Adviser and that the same act was fine in pursuance of the agreement among you and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.”

Why Dasuki MUST Go To JAIL - Buhari Reiterates

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari, without mincing words, has expressed doubt if his administration would let the embattled immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. SamboDasuki (rtd) go free over the alleged misuse of $2.1billion funds meant for the purchase of fire arms to fight Boko Haram terrorists in North-East Nigeria. 

In fact, Buhari is optimistic that the court of law would certainly convict Dasuki when he told Al Jazeera television in an interview aired yesterday that with the revelation coming from the arms probe, he is afraid if the ex-NSA would go free. He said, 

“That is why we are prosecuting those who shared monies meant to procure hardware and software for the military. It is easy to say we have not recorded a high-profile conviction but there must be court processes. However, with the revelations coming out from the arms probe, you can imagine where Dasuki will end up.” 

During President Buhari’s maiden presidential chat held Wednesday, December 30, 2015,he gave reasons why his government has refused to release Dasuki despite several court orders granting Dasuki bail. 

At the chat, Buhari said Dasuki could not be allowed to enjoy any form of freedom due to the enormity of his offences. He stated: “If you see the atrocities these people committed against this country, we can’t allow them to jump bail. 

Dasuki was simply sharing government’s money the way he liked. They would just say to Central Bank give so and so, 40 billion naira just like that; 40 billion.” 

Apparently, acting on the presidential directives, a high court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, presided over by Justice Peter Affen, last week, struck out Dasuki’s application seeking to stop his trial pending his release from detention. 

Justice Affen held that the ex-NSA failed to place anything before him to prove that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, was holding him after he was granted bail, and that the anti-graft agency did not in any way act contrary to court order because it did not have Dasuki in its custody

Nigerian Pilot