Former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission at about 4pm Monday and was still being questioned as at 9PM alongside other suspects over the controversial arms procurement scandal surrounding former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki

Sources familiar with the ongoing investigation said the former minister allegedly received suspicious payments from the office of Mr. Dasuki, who is being investigated over a $2billion arms deal.

Mr. Yuguda allegedly received N1.5billion from the former NSA’s office through an unnamed company, for unstated purpose.

He also alleged received N1.275billion from Stallion Group during the campaign for the last general election.

Another N775million was also allegedly paid to him from the office of the Accountant General of the Federation for unstated purpose.

All the monies were paid to him between Dec 2014 and May, 2015, our sources said.

Also in custody over the same matter are the sons of Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State and Haliru Bello Mohamed, former minister of defence and ex-national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Sagir Bafarawa, allegedly acting as front for his father, received N4.6billion from the NSA’s office.

Attahiru Bafarawa had recently escaped arrest but the EFCC says the former governor remains on its radar.

The ex-PDP chairman’s son, Abbah Mohammed, on his part got N600milion in the name of Bam Properties Limited.

Also in the custody of the anti-graft agency is Shuaibu Salisu, a former director of finance and administration in the former NSA’s office.

Mr. Salisu, a staff of the National Intelligence Agency, was a joint signatory with Mr. Dasuki to the NSA’s office account and EFCC operatives are accusing him of “supervising some dubious payments”.

Credit: PremiumTimes