Tag Archives: Arms Money

How Ex-PDP Chairman, Son, Squandered N300 Million Arms Money- EFCC

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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that the office of the National Security Adviser, paid N300 million to a former national chairman of PDP, Bello Haliru, to fund election campaign.

Roukayya Ibrahim, a forensic specialist with the commission, made the statement while testifying before Justice John Tsoho on Tuesday.

Ms. Ibrahim said the outcome of a forensic analysis on financial transactions in the Sterling Bank account used indicated that the money was not payment for contract executed.

She said the office of the National Security Adviser headed by retired Col. Sambo Dasuki authorised the payment.

“The bank account that was used belonged to Abbah Bello, son of the third defendant (Haliru Bello),’’ Ibrahim said.

She added: “Between October and November 2014, a special Task Force was created to investigate Defence and arms contract.

“Allegation of financial misappropriation in the office of the NSA has been reported at the commission.

“After the Task Force was constituted, we studied intelligence reports and commenced investigation.

“During the course of the investigation, we invited relevant government agencies and banks to discuss with them.

“Specifically, we spoke with senior staff from the office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and Central Bank of Nigeria.

“One of the discoveries was a letter from the Ministry of Finance to the CBN requesting the release of N100 billion on March 2, 2015.

“The money was actually meant for disbursement to agencies of government with the office of the NSA getting N30 billion out of the fund, supposedly to be used for security issues.

“On March 3, 2015, the Accountant-General of the Federation sent a memo to the Ministry of Finance in respect of the N30 billion.

“And on March 5, the Accountant-General of the Federation sent another memo to the CBN requesting urgent release of the N30 billion which was eventually paid into the NSA office account on March 11.

“On March 17, the N300 million was transferred from the N30 billion into the Sterling Bank account operated by BAM Project and Properties Ltd owned by Abba Bello.

“When Abba was arrested and interrogated, he denied knowledge of the transaction that ran through his bank account.

“Then his father, Haliru Bello, was away in abroad, but the story changed when we spoke with him on telephone.

“During the course of the investigation, we got to know that Bashir Yuguda, former minister of State for Finance, was used to actualise the transaction.’’

“During forensic analysis, we discovered that on March 18, disbursement of about N137 million was made to Kumugumu Ltd, on the same day, another N178 million was sent to North pole Ltd from the N300 million’’.

“On March 28, Abba transferred the sum of N163 million to Hijra Textiles Ltd on the instruction of his father, Haliru Bello.

“Abba who is the sole owner of BAM Project and Properties Ltd whose bank account is being used, withdrew the sum of N20 million in two tranches of N10 million each.

“Then on May 28, Abba made another transfer of N50 million into another of his personal savings account.’’

Ms. Ibrahim said Abba had specifically confessed to the commission that BAM Project and Properties Ltd did not execute any contract for the office of the National Security Adviser.

The duo are standing trial for alleged unlawful collection of part of the funds meant for arms purchase for the military.

The judge adjourned the matter till Feb 23.

Credit: NAN

How Dasuki Allegedly Shared N13.6bn Arms Money

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Court papers containing charges against a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and some of  his former lieutenants, have provided further details of how Mr. Dasuki allegedly distributed billions of naira meant for arms purchase for the fight against the insurgent Boko Haram group, to politicians, his cronies and family members.

Mr. Dasuki was on Monday arraigned before an Abuja High Court on a 19-count charge of money laundering and breach of public trust.

Those charged alongside Mr. Dasuki were a former director of finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, as well as an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Waripamowei Dudafa.

A former general manager at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Aminu BabaKusa, and two firms, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Abuja, were also charged.

The first charge accused Messrs. Dasuki, Salisu and Dudafa (said to be at large) of withdrawing N10 billion in foreign currency equivalent from the account of the NSA with the CBN on November 27, 2014.

The charge says Mr. Dasuki claimed to have distributed the money to PDP presidential primary election delegates – an act the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission said was punishable under section 315 of the penal code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4 laws of the federation 2004.

Another count says Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu withdrew N2.120 billion from the NSA account with CBN, between January 22 and March 19 and paid same to the account of Daar Investment and Holding Company Limited controlled by Raymond Dokpesi, for the funding of the media activities for the 2015 presidential election campaign of the PDP.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu were also accused of criminal breach of trust by withdrawing N90 Million from the NSA’s account with Diamond Bank Plc and remitting the said amount into the account of “Brains and Hammers Limited for the purchase of 7-bedroom duplex house at No. 11 Mansur Bamalli Drive (D1064), Apo 1, Abuja in the name of Abubakar Atiku Dasuki, the son of Mr. Dasuki”.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu also on 28 January reportedly withdrew N170 million from another NSA account with Skye Bank Plc and paid the money into the account of Urban Abode Nigeria Limited for the purchase of a four-bedroom duplex at plot 2562/2643, Platinum Villa (PV) Asokoro Abuja in the name of AVM M. N. Umaru.

The Nigerian government is also accusing Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu of illegally transferring N1.5 billion of Nigerian money held at Zenith Bank between October 9, 2014 and April 17 2015, to Acacia Holdings limited “controlled by one Aminu Babakusa purporting same to be payment for organizing prayers”.

The duo were also said to have on April 17, 2015 transferred N750 Million from the NSA account with Zenith bank to the account of Reliance Reference Hospital also controlled by Mr. Babakusa for organizing prayers.

In a separate charge, Acacia Holdings and its owner, Mr. Babakusa, were accused of collecting N1.45 billion from the account of the NSA with Zenith Bank, into their accounts with UBA and Ecobank, between October 9, 2014 and April 17, 2015, from Messr. Dasuki and Salisu for organizing prayers, knowing that the money “directly represented proceeds of criminal conducts and knowing same to be stolen property”.

Mr. Babakusa and Reliance Hospital were also accused of collecting N750 million from Mr. Dasuki on April 17, 2015 “which sum belonged to the Federal Government of Nigeria and knowing the said sum to be stolen property but purporting same to be payment for organizing prayers and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 317 of the penal code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4 laws of the federation 2004”.

The government also said that on April 9, 2015, Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu transferred N380 million in the account of the NSA with CBN to the account of Belsha Nigeria Limited for “consultancy services”.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu were also accused of transferring, on 12th August 2014 and 23rd March, 2015, from the NSA account with CBN, the sum of N670 Million to the account of General hydrocarbons Limited with Guarantee Trust Bank, GTB, controlled by Nduka Obaigbena as payment for “energy consulting”.

Mr. Obaigbena is the publisher of ThisDay newspaper.

The two former government officials are also accused of transferring N260 million from the NSA account with Skye Bank to the account of a former chairman of the Board of Trustee of the PDP, Tony Anenih, with First Bank of Nigeria Plc.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu are also accused of criminal breach of trust when they allegedly transferred N345 million from the CBN account of the NSA to the account of Starbrid Limited with Stanbic IBTC Bank and GTB controlled by Emmanuel Lawani on behalf of Iyorchia Ayu, for the construction of a shopping mall at Jabi, Abuja, “purporting same to be payment for satellite charges and security equipment” thereby committing an offence punishable under section 315 of the penal code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4 laws of the federation 2004.

In all, the EFCC said it was accusing Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu of conspiring to do an illegal act through criminal breach of trust by public officers between October 2014 and April 2015 by distributing N13.570 billion belonging to the Federal Government to politicians and cronies.

The EFCC said the offense committed by the duo is punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol, 4 LFN 2004.

The anti-graft agency also said by “dishonestly receiving stolen property” belonging to the Nigerian government, totalling N2.2 billion, Acacia Holdings Limited, Reliance Reference Hospital and Aminu Babakusa have committed an offence punishable under section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol, 4 LFN 2004.

Credit: PremiumTimes