*Commission retrieves
Dasuki’s memos to Jonathan *Ex-MILAD refunds 60 per
cent
All politicians who
shared in the allegedly diverted US$2.1billion arms cash must return what they
got or face trial, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has
said.
The
Nation report continues:
A
former Military Administrator of Kaduna State, Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa, has
refunded 60 per cent of the money he allegedly collected from the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA), The Nation learnt yesterday.
Also
yesterday, it was gathered that Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National
Publicity Secretary Chief Olisa Metuh had admitted the transfer of ₦400million
into a company in which he has substantial interest.
According
to sources, EFCC decided on refund of cash after retrieving some of the
memoranda which the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki (rtd.), wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan to request for funds.
A
top EFCC source said none of the memos seen so far indicated that the funds
would be used for political purposes, party funding and the 2015 general
election.
Based
on the vetting of the memos and disbursement of money to PDP chieftains and
other highly-placed Nigerians, the EFCC has drawn the battle line of either
“you make a refund or face trial”.
Some
of the beneficiaries of the cash include former governors Peter Odili (₦100m); Rashidi
Ladoja (₦100m), Attahiru Bafarawa (₦100m), Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi (₦100m), and
Jim Nwobodo (₦500m).
Others
are: Chief Tony Anenih (₦260m); ex-PDP National Chairman Ahmadu Ali (₦100m);
Chief Bode George (₦100m/ US$30,000), Yerima Abdullahi (₦100m); Chief Olu Falae
(₦100m); Tanko Yakassai (₦63m); Gen. Bello Sarkin Yaki (₦200m); Raymond
Dokpesi, Iyorchia Ayu’s company (₦345m); BAM Properties (₦300m); Dalhatu
Investment Limited (₦1.5b); ex-PDP National Chairman Mohammed Bello Haliru,
Abba Mohammed, Sagir Attahiru, serving and former members of the House of
Representatives(over N600 million); former Chairman of the House of
Representatives on Security and Intelligence, Bello Matawalle (₦300m); ACACIA
Holdings(₦600m); Bashir Yuguda (₦1,950,000) and many companies.
Based
on the vetting, the EFCC is insisting that all those implicated so far must
refund the “illegal disbursement” of cash to them or face trial.
A
top EFCC source said: “We have conducted a thorough investigation and we have
retrieved some of the memos sent to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan by the
former National Security Adviser; none of them indicated that the cash should
be for political purposes.
“There
was never a memo for cash advance for political matters like campaign or
election.
“We
have also traced some of these funds directly to the accounts of these bigwigs
or their proxy companies.
“Having
gone far, we are asking them to return these funds or else, we will go after
them any moment from now. I think they should respect themselves and make
urgent refund.
“In
the alternative, we will arrest them and arraign them in court to defend such
strange allocations.
“We
will retrieve every kobo given out from ONSA. It is insufficient to say
somebody gave me this money. Once we trace undeserved public funds into your
account or phony and proxy companies, we will ask for refund.”
Regarding
the interrogation of Gen. Isa, the source added: “He admitted collecting money
from ONSA and he has refunded 60 per cent of the sum credited to him. I think
it should be about ₦100 million.
“Isa
is the only person who has so far refunded money among the political figures
who collected funds from ONSA. We have granted him bail to allow him time to
source for the balance.”
On
the detention of the National Publicity Secretary of PDP, the source said: “So
far, Metuh has admitted the transfer of ₦400 million by ONSA into a
company in which he has substantial interest.
“It
is left to him to justify why he deserved such benefit from arms cash. We are
still questioning him on other remittances into the company’s account. We are
also demanding how he will refund the cash.
“Contrary
to the noise outside, we did our homework very well. Anybody we bring to the
EFCC this time around, we used to make sure that we have established a case
against him.
“So, we don’t invite or
arrest on frivolous basis. We do thorough investigation this time around.”
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