By Nkechi Eze
An operative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Kazeem Yusuf, on Tuesday told a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory that N4.6 billion released by the Office of the National Security Adviser for the supply of security equipment was diverted to fund political activities, pilgrimage to Makkah and other non-security uses.
In an official signed statement, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that Yusuf gave the testimony at the resumed hearing in the trial of a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd); former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir Attahiru; and Dalhatu Investment Limited, their family-owned company. The defendants are standing trial before Justice Yusuf Halilu of the FCT High Court, Maitama, on an amended 25-count charge bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and receiving stolen property.
Led in evidence by prosecuting counsel Rotimi Jacobs SAN, the EFCC operative told the court that investigation showed that the contracts awarded by the ONSA for the supply of security equipment were never executed. He stated that internal correspondence from the ONSA confirmed that the contracts were strictly for security purposes, but the funds were not utilised for that objective.
“Further investigation also showed that the money (N4.6 billion) was not used for the purpose; it was diverted to other uses. Investigation also showed from a letter from the Office of the National Security Adviser that the contracts were never executed,” Yusuf told the court.
He said that when he began investigating the matter, Sagir Bafarawa presented a list detailing how the funds were spent. According to him, the expenditures included payment for pilgrimage to Makkah, sponsorship of the 2015 People’s Democratic Party rallies, payment of monies to security agencies for election monitoring, and funding for the 2015 presidential election and other political engagements.
Reading from the UBA and GTBank account statements already tendered before the court, the witness confirmed that several beneficiaries received substantial transfers. He identified the Sheikh AbdurRahman Al-Sudais Foundation, chaired by former governor Bafarawa, as one such beneficiary, receiving N500 million.
He also told the court that Abdallah Wali, the 2015 PDP gubernatorial candidate in Sokoto State, received N580 million through a company for election-related activities.
Following the conclusion of Yusuf’s testimony, Justice Halilu adjourned the matter to 9 and 10 December for the cross-examination of the prosecution witness by defence counsel.
