Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki has said he handed over the N10billion given to Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) nomination convention delegates to former President Goodluck Jonathan’s Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs, Waripamowei Dudafa and the Aide-de-Camp.

“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP’s Presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. (Waripamowei) Dudafa (SSAP Household) and ADC(C-IC) for distribution on the instruction of the President.

In a statement of Witness/Accused Person which has been filed in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) ahead of his arraignment, Dasuki said: “I wish to state as follows: That I have been publicly indicted and any statement may jeopardise my defence. Having been briefed by the EFCC investigators on why I was invited, I will answer the charges in court. As such, I do not wish to make any further statement on the matter.

“That I am aware in November (I cannot remember the exact date), my office requested the CBN to exchange N10 billion from the account of the Office of National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged at $47m and some Euros which I cannot remember. The exact amount was delivered at my residence.”

The ex-NSA expressed regrets that he is being vilified by the EFCC when he acted on the instructions and approval of the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces even as he claimed that he had no foreign account and that his local accounts are in Skye bank Plc, GTB and Standard Chartered Bank.

Referring to the statement of Director of Finance and administration (Salisu), Ibrahim Wambai, and Yazidu Ibrahim, Dasuki said that all the cash (both foreign and local) were usually given to them for official use.

“I also noted the statement of Sagir Bafarawa whose company is Dalhatu Investment which he stated that he received the sum of N4,633,000,000 from the account of the Office of the NSA. I authorized the payment. The money was for vehicles, motorcycles for youth empowerment and women sent to Saudi Arabia. I got the proposal from the President. I do not have the proposal; it should be at the office in the Villa

“I have seen the statement of the Zenith Bank account where N5 billion was paid. I authorized the following payments, among others: Jabbama Ada Global Nigeria Limited (N400 million); R.R. Hospital (N750 million); ACACIA Holdings LTD (N1.25 billion); Barr. I.M. Bala (N150 million); African Cable TV (N 350m); Nigerian Defence Academy (N159 million); B.B. (N350 million); Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (N125,503, 255.11); Coscharis Motors (N119 million).

“The payments were  meant for various partners as earlier listed. I know Basha Nigeria Limited to be owned by Hon. Bello Matawalle. I authorized the payment of N380 million for further disbursement to members of the House of Representatives as campaign contribution. I authorized the payment of N751million to HEIRS BDC Limited for conversion to forex from the account of the NSA. Money was used for operation in the Office of the NSA.

“I have seen the mandate from the CBN, signed by me, authorizing payment of various sums of money to Dalhatu Investment for the reasons earlier stated.

“In respect of funds given to Ambassador Bashir Yuguda between December 2014 and 2015, I authorized the payment of N1.5 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser for political campaign in the last elections. I remember paying DAAR Communications the sum of N2.120 billion from ONSA for media activities for the Presidential Campaign 2015.”

Dasuki confirmed also payment of $146,639019.00 to E-Force Inter-Service Ltd.

“I do not have any company registered in my name. I have no account with HSBC. All payments made from NSA accounts within the period I was there were authorized by me.”

The CBN confirmed that the N10 billion was sourced from the CBN/ OAGF Signature Bonus Account.

The CBN made the clarification in an October 29, 2015 letter to the EFCC’s Director of Operations.

The apex bank said: “Your letter ref: EFCC/EC/ CBN/ 12/163 dated  21st September 2915 to the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria and the directive by the management that we provide some explanations, we wish to state as follows:

“The N10 billion constitutes two tranches of N5.08billion each debited to the CBN/OAGF SIGNATURE BONUS ACCOUNT NO 400225220 vide OAGF memo Ref: FD/LP2015/1/28 DF to the Office of the National Security Adviser A/C Number 20172241019 with the CBN Abuja and the second was for credit into the account of National Security Adviser Account Number 1014199287 with Zenith Bank Plc Wuse II Abuja.

“The transactions were consummated  on November 10, 2014. The mandate that authorized the withdrawal of USD47.0m was from the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA) with REF: NSA/366/S dated November 26, 2014. The mandate was processed for dollar cash payment to Mr. S. A. Salisu on November 27,  2014.

“The USD5.0M was via a memo from the ONSA memo REF: ACCT/86/VOL. 2/ 218 dated November 13, 2014. The National Security Adviser Account Number 20172241019 was debited and dollar cash payment made to Mr. Wambai Ibrahim on November 14, 2014 in line with the mandate.

“The Euro 4.0 million and Euro 1.6 million transactions were via mandate from ONSA memo REF: NASS/ 366/S dated November 26, 2014.  The NSA’s Account Number 20172241019 was debited and Euro cash payment effected as follows: Euro 4.0m on December 3, 2014 and Euro 1.6m was on December 24, 2014. These sums were released to Mr. S. A. Salisu as stipulated in the mandate. Attached are copies of all the relevant documents please.”

The CBN Governor was responding to a letter ( EFCC/EC/CBN/12/163) of 21st September, 2015 by former EFCC Chairman Ibrahim Lamorde.

The three-paragraph letter said: “This commission is investigating a case of Abuse of Office and money laundering of funds for special services by the Office of the National Security Adviser which were withdrawn  in November 2014.

“We seek your kind assistance to provide available information on the disbursement of the funds with copies of relevant documents, including transfers to foreign and local banks and cash withdrawals.

“Thank you in anticipation of your usual cooperation.”

A Staff Officer Account 1 in the Office of the NSA, Yazidu Ibrahim said in his statement as follows: “I can testify that in the last five years, for all the companies that were paid, VAT and Withholding Tax were never paid for any contract.

“Also, to the best of my knowledge, there is no tender’s board and procurement unit at the NSA. The awarding authority for all contracts remains the NSA. All payments for contracts are (sic) based on directive from the DFA. Sometimes, there were accompanying documents  most times, there was nothing except account details of contractors.

“In the last five years, the SAS imprest account has been passed and ONSA is getting direct funding from the government.

“I want to state as follows: many of the contracts were fake because the payment were round figures. (2), many of the payments were related to the 2015 presidential elections and not for national security. Many of the cash payments were just looted. Many people in the ruling PDP got huge sums of money.

” The SAS imprest account is an account maintained by the NSA and the Permanent Secretary, Special Service Office. This is where money for the intelligence community is first paid before sharing between the ONSA, NSA and DSS.” [myad]

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has granted the former Chairman of DAAR Communications Plc, ‎Chief Raymond Dokpesi‎, bail to the tune of N400 milion even as the court ordered that he should be remanded in Kuje prison until he meets the bail conditions.

In a ruling today, the trial Judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole ordered Dokpesi who is facing a six-count criminal charge, to produce two sureties who must deposit N200 million each.

Another condition, the Judge said, is that one of the sureties must be a public servant, either serving or retired, not below the level of a Director. He added that the second surety may be an entrepreneur who must submit three years tax clearance.

Justice Kolawole said that either of the two sureties must tender title deeds of a landed property in any part of Nigeria, the value of which must not be below N200 milion.

The sureties, the court said, must depose to an affidavit of means, and submit two recent passport photographs to the Deputy Chief Registrar (DCR), Administration, of the high court.

Dokpesi was asked to surrender his international passport and that “if it is already in custody of the EFCC, it should be delivered to the ‎DCR of the Federal High Court in charge of Litigation.”

Meanwhile, Justice ‎Kolawole ordered that Dokpesi should be remanded in prison custody pending the perfection of the bail conditions.

‎It will be recalled that Dokpesi who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was arraigned before the court on December 11, over alleged N2.1billion fraud.

He is facing trial ‎alongside ‎his firm, DAAR Investment and Holdings Ltd, owners of African Independent Television, AIT, and Raypower FM. [myad]

Nigeria Army has explained why the soldiers opened fire on members of the Shiite Islamic Group in Zaria, Kaduna state yesterday.

In a statement today, the Director of Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Usman said that the Shiite sect on the orders of their leader, Ibrahim Elzak-zaky, allegedly attacked the convoy of Tukur Buratai, the Chief of Army Staff, in Kaduna state.

He said that the attack took place while Buratai was on his way to pay homage on the Emir of Zazzau and attend the Passing Out Parade of 73 Regular Recruits Intake of Depot Nigerian Army in Zaria.

“The sect, numbering hundreds, carrying dangerous weapons, barricaded the roads with bonfires, heavy stones and tyres. They refused all entreaties to disperse and then started firing and pelting the convoy with dangerous objects.

“The barricade was obviously a deliberate attempt to assassinate the Chief of Army Staff and members of his entourage while on a legitimate official assignment as Special Guest of Honour at the passing out parade which has earlier been widely publicized.

“The troops responsible for the safety and security of the Chief of Army Staff on hearing explosion and firing were left with no choice than to defend him and the convoy at all cost as well as open up the barricaded road for law abiding citizens. This is in line with the Nigerian Army Rules of Engagement and Code of Conduct.”

Usman made it clear that such kind of behaviour would not be tolerated from any individual or groups and should not be allowed to repeat itself. [myad]

The Shiite Islamic Group has denied attacking the Nigeria Chief of Army, General Buratai which led to the killing of its members by soldiers in Zaria yesterday.

In a statement signed by Isak K and posted on the website of the movement, the Shiites said that the claim that Buratai “narrowly escaped assassination as a result of attack from Muslim brothers and Sisters of the Islamic Movement is a blatant lie.”

The statement claimed that members of the movement were unarmed and had gathered for a ceremony at their Husainiyyah base to change the flag on the dome of the building to herald the beginning of the month of Rabiul /Auwal- the birth month of Prophet Muhammad when the incident happened.

“Any excuse given by the military as reason for besieging Hussainiyyah and firing for hours, leading to the death of yet to be specified number of people, is considered a lie of the decade,” the movement added. [myad]