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Dasukigate watch 3: Keeping up with the Arms Scam Probe

Now in its third month, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s (EFCC) face off with alleged beneficiaries of the $2.1 billion largesse meant for the procurement of arms to counter insurgency during the administration of erstwhile President Goodluck Jonathan is still brewing.

Here’s the latest…

 

EFCC detains, quizzes ex-CDS Badeh

In what is regarded as a ‘sensitive investigation into the arms deal fund, a crack team of EFCC investigators grilled immediate-past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh on Monday, February 8. The military chief was quizzed on his alleged involvement in the arms deal as well as the procurement of used aircraft.

Operatives of the anti-graft agency also conducted a search of his residence where they were told to retrieve key evidence. There were also indications that some serving military officers have been moved to guest houses, pending their interrogation.

Others being held and interrogated besides the ex-CDS are former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshals A.N. Amosu and M.D. Umar; Air Vice Marshals A. M. Mamu (the Chief of Administration), O.T. Oguntoyinbo

(Defence Headquarters former Director of Production); R.A. Ojuawo, J.B. Adigun; J.A Kayode-Beckley; and a number of others.

 

Court dismisses Dasuki’s application to halt trial

A Federal Capital Territory high court sitting in Abuja on Monday, February 8 dismissed an application by ex-National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), ruling that the EFCC was not in contempt of its order granting him bail on December 18, 2015.

Dasuki had filed an application seeking to stop his trial on the charges of diversion of arms fund, a “brazen”disobedience of the orders of court granting him bail.

However, Justice Husseini Baba held that contrary to Dasuki’s allegation, he was re-arrested by the operatives of the Department of State Service (DSS) on December 29, 2015, shortly after he met the bail conditions and was released by Kuje Prisons. The DSS, Justice Baba ruled, is “a stranger” in the case, and that the EFCC which is prosecuting the retired colonel and his co-accused could not be said to have violated the bail order.

The judge subsequently adjourned the matter till March 23.

 

Metuh’s mess deepens, as EFCC detective claims he got another $2m

A new can of worms was on Tuesday, February 9 opened in the EFCC versus Olisa Metuh over the arms fund as a detective at the anti-graft agency testified that the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain collected another $2 million from the Office of ex-National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

According to the witness, Junaid Sa’aid – the prosecution’s eighth witness since the commencement of the trial – said the amount was thought to have been taken from the N10 billion withdrawn by Dasuki for PDP convention for which a fresh charge would be preferred against Dasuki soon.

He further told the court that he had no substantive evidence to show that Metuh actually collected the money, but that his assumption was based on the fact that four days after the said sum of N10 billion was

withdrawn by Dasuki and converted into $47 million, one Nneka Ararume brought $2 million to invest in IRM, a financial institution. Sa’aid added that about N50 million out of the N400 million which Metuh is

alleged to have originally collected was converted to his personal use.

 

Goodluck Jonathan’s ex-ADC arrested, quizzed

Ex-president Goodluck Jonathan’s former aide-de-camp, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe was on Thursday, February 11, quizzed in connection with arms procurement deal at Mogadishu Cantonment, Abuja.

Adegbe was arrested on Wednesday, February 10 and taken to the military barracks where he was grilled by some senior military officers.

Reports say the colonel and seven other serving army officers were then handed over to the EFCC.

-MICHAEL NWOKIKE

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