Panel
unveils how Nigeria was duped
facts
& figures see below:
N643.8b •$2.1b
Extra
budgetry interventions
$2.3b •N13.7b
Failed
contracts (53 out of 513 awarded between 2007&2015)
N3.8b
Cash
paid to company without evidence of any contract
N2.2b•$1.6b •€9.9b
Fictitous
contracts awarded
Four Alpha jets
12 helicopters •Bombs
& ammunition
Equipment
purportedly paid for but not supplied
N350b •$1.6b • €9.9b
Contracts
awarded to two firms
$132m • €9.9m
CBN
transfers to banks without purpose on Dasuki’s instruction
Those implicated by the
investigative panel on arms procurement have been ordered arrested by President
Muhammadu Buhari, the Presidency said last night.
On top of the list –
indeed the only one mentioned – is former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col.
Sambo Dasuki.
But a source said last
night that a former Chief of Army Staff was among the suspects.
Another said the
suspects were not named to prevent their escape from Nigeria.
The interim report
chronicles alleged massive mismanagement, misappropriation and outright theft
of public funds in billions of naira and in foreign currencies –dollars, euro
and pounds sterling.
Presidential spokesman
Femi Adesina said in a statement that the President issued the executive order
for the arrests after receiving the preliminary report of the probe of arms
procurement between 2007 and 2015 by the committee raised on August
31 by National Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Babagana Munguno.
“President Muhammadu
Buhari has directed that the relevant organisations arrest and bring to book,
all individuals who have been found complicit in these illegal and fraudulent
acts,” the statement said last night.
The preliminary report
submitted by the Air Vice Marshal (AVM) O.N. Ode (rtd)-led panel listed the
many cases established against Col. Dasuki, who is currently in the eye of the
storm.
A Federal High Court
sitting in Abuja has ordered that he should be allowed to travel abroad, but
the Department of State Services (DSS) said he must accept an invitation to
defend himself in connection with some deals he was allegedly involved in.
Col. Dasuki has declined
to accept the letter of invitation, preferring to remain within his Abuja
residence. But he has not been able to travel. He is on trial for illegal arms
possession.
Other members of the
panel are: R/Adm J.A. Aikhomu (rtd.), R/Adm E. Ogbor (rtd.), Brig.- Gen L.
Adekagun (rtd.), Brig.-Gen. M. Aminu-Kano (rtd.), Brig.-Gen. N. Rimtip (rtd.),
Cdre T.D. Ikoli, Air Cdre U. Mohammed (rtd.), Air Cdre I. Shafi’I, Col A.A.
Ariyibi, Gp. Capt. C.A. Oriaku (rtd.), Mr. Ibrahim Magu (EFCC) and Brig.- Gen Y.I.
Shalangwa as secretary.
Part of the mandate of
the panel is “in keeping with President Buhari’s determination to stamp out
corruption and irregularities in Nigeria’s public service”.
Yesterday’s statement on
the interim report of the panel said: “On the authority of Mr President, a
13-man committee was set up by the Office of the National Security
Adviser to audit the procurement of arms and equipment in the Armed Forces and
Defence sector from 2007 to date.
“While the committee
which was inaugurated on 31 August 2015 is yet to complete its work, its
interim report has unearthed several illicit and fraudulent financial
transactions.
“As part of the
findings, the committee has analysed interventions from some organisations that
provided funds to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Defence
Headquarters, Army Headquarters Naval Headquarters and Nigerian Air
Force Headquarters, both in local and foreign currencies.
“So far the total extra
budgetary interventions articulated by the committee is six hundred and forty
three billion, eight hundred and seventeen million, nine hundred and fifty
thousand, eight hundred and eighty five hundred naira and eighteen kobo
(N643,817,955,885.18).
“The foreign currency
component is to the tune of two billion, one hundred and ninety three million,
eight hundred and fifteen thousand us dollars and eighty three cents
($2,193,815,000.83).
“These amounts exclude
grants from the state governments and funds collected by the DSS and Police. It
was observed that in spite of this huge financial intervention, very little was
expended to support defense procurement.
“The committee also
observed that of 513 contracts awarded at $8,356,525,184.32;
N2,189,265,724,404.55 and €54,000.00; fifty three (53) were failed contracts,
amounting to $2,378,939,066.27 and N13,729,342,329.87 respectively.
“Interestingly, it was
noted that the amount of foreign currency spent on failed contracts was more
than double the $1bn loan that the National Assembly approved for borrowing to
fight the insurgency in the North East.
“The committee also
discovered that payments to the tune of three billion, eight hundred and fifty
million naira (N3,850,000,000.00) were made to a single company by the former
NSA without documented evidence of contractual agreements or fulfilment of tax
obligations to the FGN.
“Further findings
revealed that between March 2012 and March 2015, the erstwhile NSA, Lt.-Col MS
Dasuki (rtd) awarded fictitious and phantom contracts to the tune of
N2,219,188,609.50, $1,671,742,613.58 and €9,905,477.00. The contracts
which were said to be for the purchase of 4 Alpha Jets, 12 helicopters, bombs
and ammunition were not executed and the equipment were never supplied to the
Nigerian Air Force, neither are they in its inventory.
“Even more disturbing
was the discovery that out of these figures, two companies were awarded
contracts to the tune of N350,000,000.00, $1,661,670,469.71 and €9,905,477.00
alone. This was without prejudice to the consistent non-performance of the
companies in the previous contracts awarded.
“Additionally, it was
discovered that the former NSA directed the Central Bank of Nigeria to transfer
the sum of $132,050,486.97 and €9,905,473.55 to the accounts of Societe
D’equipmente Internationaux in West Africa, United Kingdom and United States of
America for un-ascertained purposes, without any contract documents to explain
the transactions.
“The findings made so
far are extremely worrying, considering that the interventions were granted
within the same period that our troops fighting the insurgency in the North
East were in desperate need of platforms, military equipment and ammunition.
Had the funds siphoned to these non performing companies been properly used for
the purpose they were meant for, thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would
have been avoided.
“Furthermore, the
ridicule Nigeria has faced in the international community would have been
avoided. It is worrisome and disappointing that those entrusted with the
security of this great nation were busy using proxies to siphon the national
treasury while innocent lives were wasted daily.”
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