15 Politicians Linked To $2.1 Billion Arms Deal Scandal
When the former national security adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, was invited last year by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to answer some vital questions on the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal, nobody would ever have thought the names of some high profile politicians would later be allegedly linked to this national embarrassment.
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Allegedly, money which was meant to purchase arms and ammunition for the Nigerian soldiers battling the insurgency in the northeastern region of the country was instead shared among some politicians and used to fight elections.
Meanwhile, terrorism flourished in leaps and bounds despite the complaints of the military that they were ill-equipped as no money was made available to purchase weapons.
If the allegations are true, the inhumane nature of a good number of Nigerian politicians is again on display as they sacrificed the lives of innocent Nigerians on the altar of corruption by sharing the $2.1 billion among themselves. In addition, some junior army officers were court-martialed because they refused to fight the Boko Haram insurgents, perhaps understandably given the shortage of weapons.
In the past six years of intense bombings and ceaseless killings by the Boko Haram terrorists, Nigerians continued to wonder why the war persisted for so long, and how the rag-tag Boko Haram could occupy at least three states of the federation despite the fact that Nigeria’s armed forces are known as one of the best in the world.
Since the confession by the former NSA started, several top-notch politicians who have been allegedly accused of being involved in the $2.1 billion arms deal scandal have been revealed.
READ ALSO: 6 Conditions I Gave GEJ Before Taking N100 Million – Falae
1. Dr Goodluck Jonathan
The nation’s former number one citizen is said to have played a major role in the burning national issue of the arms deal. It has been learnt recently that the PDP has told Jonathan to speak out regarding what he knew about the whole episode. The EFCC chairman himself has said it is taking its time regarding investigating the former president.
According to The Punch of Monday, January 11 with the caption “SERAP Queries Jonathan On Diverted Arms Funds.” The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) told Dr Jonathan to tell Nigerians his involvement in the arms deal scandal.
The SERAP wrote to the former president asking certain germane questions from him. The Executive Director of SERAP highlighted 11 questions Jonathan must answer. He said he should tell Nigerians if he was the one that approved the alleged diversion of the money. Some of the questions are:
“Is it correct to suggest that the budget of over $2.1 bn to purchase arms for Nigerian soldiers fighting Boko Haram in the North-East of the country was authorised by you (Dr Goodluck Jonathan), or your office?
“Did your former NSA, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) seek your approval to collect money from the CBN the over $2.1 bn meant for the purchase of arms for Nigerian soldiers?”
2. Namadi Sambo
The former vice president is also said to have been involved in the arms scam. There are reports that the EFCC is closing in on some of Sambo’s aides.
3. Chief Olu Falae
The former presidential candidate on Sunday, January 10, said the N100 million he received was from the former chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’s Board of Trustee (BOT), Chief Tony Anenih. He said the sum was received under certain conditions.
Falae's claim has been denied by the Ogun state chapter of his party, the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The Punch newspaper of Monday, January 11 had the caption, “Armsgate: Ogun SDP Disowns Falae Over N100M Scandal.”
The chairman of the SDP in Ogun state, Chief Olu Agemo and the party’s state secretary, Clement Adeniyi, on Sunday, January 10 jointly signed a statement saying that Falae was on his own. Some contents of the statement were:
“It (the SDP) was never notified of or involved in any negotiation to partner the PDP or any other political party for the purpose of winning the election or maintaining peace during the period as claimed by Falae.
“The party was never informed by the National Secretariat of the party for the decision to adopt former president Goodluck Jonathan or any other candidate as the party’s presidential candidate.”
READ ALSO: Dasuki Arms Scandal: Convicts To Lose Properties – Buhari
4. Chief Tony Anenih
The veteran politician and former chairman of the Board of Trustee (BOT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was said to have been one of the principal actors in the distribution of the arms money. Anenih, who is also known as Mr Fix It, was said to have given Chief Olu Falae N100 million prior to the last year general election. There are suggestions from different quarters that the money was part of the arms deal money.
5. Jafaru Lawal Isa
The former military governor of Kaduna state is known as a man of integrity in his home state of Kano. He tried contesting as governor in 2011 under the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) but lost. He is known to be one of the close associates of President Muhammadu Buhari. He was recently invited by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to explain the role he played in the arms deal.
According to The Nation newspaper of Tuesday, January 12, the EFCC Boss, Ibrahim Magu said Jafaru Isa has returned N100 Million that he was given.
6. Raymond Dokpesi
The chairman of DAAR Communications is said have been involved in the arms deal. According to the Vanguard newspaper of Wednesday, December 2, 2015 Dokpesi was invited to answer questions for allegedly receiving over N2 billion from the office of the NSA.
7. Bode George
Chief Bode George was a one time member of the Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees. He was also a former PDP southwest national vice chairman.
In a report on this same platform a month ago, the former NSA listed the name of Bode George among those the NSA's office gave money. Dasuki was said to have given Bode George N100 million.
8. Peter Odili
The two-term governor of Rivers state was initially said to have been involved in corrupt practices while he was a governor. He even obtained a perpetual court injunction to prevent him being tried. The NSA confessed he gave N100 million out of the $2.1 billion arms money to Odili.
9. Attahiru Bafarawa
The former governor of Sokoto state between 1999 and 2007 was alleged to have soiled his hands also in the arms deal. Bafarawa was brought in for receiving over N100 million from Colonel Dasuki during the past administration. It was when the EFCC invited the former governor that Nigerians got to know of his alleged involvement.
10. Bashir Yuguda
On November 30, 2015, This Day newspaper captioned the PDP's chieftain travails as “$2b Arms Deal: EFCC Grills Ex-Finance Minister, Bashir Yuguda.”
Reports had it that the former minister was invited by the EFCC over his alleged involvement in the controversial arms procurement by the former NSA, Sambo Dasuki.
11. Rashidi Ladoja
Ladoja is a one-time governor of Oyo state. He was the candidate of the Accord party at the last governorship election of Saturday, April 11, 2015 in Oyo state. He was alleged to have got his share of the national cake. According to information received, his party accused him of collecting N100 million from the office of the national security adviser (ONSA). Accord party members told him to refund the money he was said to have collected.
12. Olisa Metuh
The embattled PDP national spokesperson is not finding things easy at the present moment. He was one of the vociferous voices and critics of the APC-led federal government. He never expected he would be caught in the web of the anti-graft agency. The PDP at one time raised the alarm that he was being kept in an underground prison by the EFCC. Allegations are rife that Metuh was also involved in the sharing of the arms deal money.
On Tuesday, January 12, The Nation newspaper reported what the PDP stalwart did with the N400 million he allegedly received with the caption “Metuh To EFCC: I’d Rather Starve Than Refund N400M.”
13. Jim Nwobodo
The former Enugu state civilian governor as well as the former minister of sports according to The Nations newspaper of Tuesday, on January 12 stated how he shared N100 million as part of the money in question. No one would ever believe the former senator would be involved in an allegation of this nature. He has left the PDP, as he recently decamped to the APC possibly to cover his tracks.
14. Adamu Muazu
The former Bauchi state two-term governor and ex-national chairman of the PDP is alleged to have shared N600 million among 6 chairmen of the mobilisation committee of the PDP during the 2015 election.
According to the EFCC, his whereabouts is presently unknown. Muazu, who was popularly called the Game Changer while the PDP national chairman, was alleged to have worked against the re-election of Dr Goodluck Jonathan despite collecting part of the arms deal money.
15. Mohammed Bello Haliru
The former minister of defence and former acting national chairman of the PDP was accused to have received his own share of the largesse along with his son. He was granted bail by the Federal High Court recently in Abuja after being arraigned by the EFCC. He came to the court in a wheelchair as he was unable to walk with his two legs which is strange to many people who are awaiting the outcome of the arms deal trial.
Source: Legit.ng
