Alleged $2.1bn arms deal: 78 companies collected money from Dasuki without executing any contract, witness tells court

A Prosecution Witness, Kazeem Yusuf, on Friday, alleged that 78 companies collected various sums of money from the office of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), without executing any contract.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2015 charged former Minister of State, Finance, Bashir Yuguda, Dasuki, a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited, with 25 counts bordering on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of public fund to the tune N19.4 billion.

Being led in evidence, by EFCC Counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Yusuf alleged that sometime in November, 2015, EFCC received a petition from the ONSA’s office, signed by one A.A.Ibrahim.

He stated further that the matter was assigned to a team, including himself, set up by EFCC Acting Chairman, Ibrahim Magu.

Yusuf stated that Dalhatu Investment Limited collected a total of N4.7 billion.

He alleged that about N1.1 billion was paid into the account of Javvama Ada Global Investment Nigeria Limited.

The witness said that investigation by the team revealed that Sagir was the director of Dalhatu Investment Limited and he was invited for interrogation.

“Sagir Bafarawa told EFCC that the money he received from Office of the National Security Adviser was for prayer.

“Later, he came with a booklet with a forwarding letter dated November 23, 2016 outlining how he expended the money.”

Among those who received from the money, the witness revealed, were All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Assembly candidate in the 2015 election in Kaduna State, Muhammed  Soba and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Sokoto State, Ambassador Abdallah Wali.

He alleged that Soba told EFCC that he got N85 million from Bafarawa to “help” nine of them who were members of the Kaduna State House of Assembly in the campaign for the 2015 election.

“He, however, refused to mention the names of the remaining eight people who received their own shares,” the witness told the court.

He alleged that Wali got N288 million through three companies for his gubernatorial election.

He added that from the amount, he (Wali) bought a fairly used Peugeot 406 vehicles for all the 23 PDP local government chairmen in Sokoto State for N1.3 million each.

The witness further stated that all the 23 chairmen were invited but only 17 reported.

He further told the court that they all confirmed that the vehicles were given to them to support Wali’s aspiration.

“We recovered 17 vehicles from the chairmen who reported to EFCC.

“Wali also bought bags of rice and 800 motorcycles for distribution to his supporters.

After listening to the testimony, Justice Hussein Yusuf of an FCT High Court, adjourned the matter until April 23 and April 24 for continuation of hearing.