There were indications on Wednesday that
security agencies, including the police, were concluding arrangements
to invite some former service chiefs, who were said to have been
indicted by a committee, set up by President Muhammdu Buhari to probe
arms procurement during the last administration.
Investigations
showed that indicted service chiefs would be charged, while those who
were not affected by the probe panel’s report might serve as witnesses
during the trial of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo
Dasuki(retd.), and others said to be the masterminds of the alleged
scam.
It was learnt that those, who might be
invited, include ex-naval chiefs, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, (2010-2013),
and Vice Admiral Usman Jubril (2014-2015).
In the Air Force, former officers that
may be invited include Air Marshal Mohammmed Dikko (2010-2012); Air
Marshal Alex Badeh (2012-2013), who later became the Chief of Defence
Staff, and Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (2013-2015).
The police could not be reached on
Wednesday for information on when the ex-military chiefs, said to be
allegedly indicted by the report of the Presidential Arms Procurement
Committee, would face interrogation over their involvement in the
purchase of arms during the former President Goodluck Jonathan’s
administration.
The Force Public Relations Officer,
Olabisi Kolawole, did not respond to calls put through to her mobile
while she had yet to respond to a text message sent to her as of the
time of filing this report.
The arms procurement panel, which
submitted its report on Tuesday, had indicted certain persons, chief
among whom was the immediate ex-NSA, who, among other allegations, was
said to have awarded about N333bn arms contracts, which the panel
described as fictitious and phantom.
But Dasuki, who had initially been
arraigned for illegal arms possession and money laundering, has faulted
the report of the probe panel which indicted him of awarding fictitious
contracts, 53 failed contracts, and payment for equipment without due
process and proper documentation, among others.
Dasuki said in a statement he personally
signed on Wednesday that all the contracts in question were executed
and payments made with the approval of Jonathan.
The former NSA described the conclusions of the John Ode-led panel’s submission as baseless and lacking in diligence.
Dasuki explained that contrary to the
claim by the panel, there were no fictitious contracts or diversion of
contract sums as all the services acknowledged receipt of delivered
items in writing in addition to the fact that the military agencies had
their own contractors.
He alleged that the outcome of the
report only showed the desperation of the Presidency to hang some former
public and military officers, who served the country at great a risk to
their lives.
Dasuki pointed out that if the members
of the panel had invited him to appear before them, he would have given
them the necessary documents to avoid some of their findings which he
described as jaundiced.
He also faulted the panel’s claim that
he awarded fictitious contracts between March 2012 and March 2015,
saying he was appointed NSA on June 22, 2012 and could not have awarded
contracts before then.
Dasuki added, “To set the records
straight, Nigerians should appreciate that the AVM Jon Ode-led panel did
not invite the ex-NSA under any guise before arriving at its ambiguous
findings. At least, fairness demands that the panel ought to hear from
Dasuki instead of its recourse to hasty conclusions. If the panel had
been more patient and painstaking, it would have been availed of all
relevant documents on some of the jaundiced findings.
“As if acting a script, the Presidency
alleged that the panel accused Dasuki of awarding fictitious contracts
between March 2012 and March 2015. Contrary to this claim, Dasuki was
not the NSA in March 2012 and could not have awarded any contract in
whatever name. The ex-NSA was appointed by ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan on June 22, 2012.
“All contracts and accruing payments
were made with the approval of the President and Commander-In-Chief of
the Armed Forces. Once the ex-President approved, the former NSA paid.
So, there was due process for every purchase in line with regulations
guiding arms procurement for the Armed Forces.
“The conclusions of the panel were presumptive, baseless and lacked diligence.”
He explained that all the arms of the Armed Forces acknowledged that they received the weapons they had applied for.
“While awaiting judicial process on
these allegations, it is proper to make some references to show that the
Presidency is just desperate to hang some former public and military
officers, who served this nation at the risk to their lives.
“It is laughable for the panel to assume that four Alpha jets and 12 helicopters were undelivered.”
He said it was his expectation that he
should have been questioned if there were issues relating to the arms
purchased under him.
Dasuki, who denied being a thief or a
treasury looter, noted that he was just the clearing house for the
purchases as all the contracts and the equipment purchased were done
with Presidential approval.
Dasuki said the former Chief of Air
Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, acknowledged receipt of the four Alpha
jets and the helicopters in a memo to the ONSA with reference no.
NAF/905/D/CAS of November 28, 2014,
He stated that Amosu also confirmed
receipt of ‘F-7 N1 aircraft combination of 250kg bombs and accessories
at $2,894,000 with the cost of freight at $1,200,000’ on October 21,
2014.
The former NSA vowed to meet the Presidency in court, where he said he would defend himself.
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