Court papers say Dasuki, Bafarawa, others allegedly stole N9.6 bn

Court papers say Dasuki, Bafarawa, others allegedly stole N9.6 bn

Sani Tukur

Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser, Nigeria

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has accused a former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, a former minister of state for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, and a former director of finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, of stealing N5.05 billion between April 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015.

The anti-graft agency also accused Mr. Yuguda, alongside a former governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Bafarawa, and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited, of receiving stolen property amounting to N4.633 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser.

The accused persons, who were arraigned before Justice Peter Affen of the High Court of the Federal Capital territory Abuja on Tuesday, all pleaded not guilty to a 22-count charge of fraud.

The charges are different from those raised against Mr. Dasuki and his alleged accomplices on Monday, involving the alleged misuse of N13.6 billion state funds.

Court papers obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, provide details of new charges against the former NSA. They contain supporting affidavits by a legal officer of the EFCC, Andrew Akoja.

Details of the 22-count charge against the suspects showed that Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu, between April 14, 2014 and May 7, 2015, transferred N3.350 billion from the account of the NSA with Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to the account of “Dalhatu Investment Limited with United Bank for Africa Plc, purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment”.

Mr. Bafarawa and his son, Sagir, as well as their company, Dalhatu Investment were also charged with collecting N3.350 billion from the former NSA “knowing the said sum to be stolen property but purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment”.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu are also accused of transferring another N500 million from the account of the NSA with Skye Bank to the account of Dalhatu Investment Limited with UBA on December, 20 2014 “purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment”.

Dalhatu Investment and the Bafarawas are also accused of receiving the same N500 Million even after “knowing same to be stolen property”.

The Bafawaras and their company are also accused of receiving another N100 million from a company, Jabbama Ada Global, on the instruction of former minister Yuguda, purportedly for the presidential campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party in Sokoto State, and knowing that the sum belonged to the Nigerian government.

Mr. Bafarawa, his son, Sagir, and their company Dalhatu Investment are also accused of “dishonestly receiving” N783 million between June 25 and August 20, 2014 into their account with UBA from the account of SAS Imprest Main Account with the CBN on the instruction of Mr. Dasuki.

More Charges

Mr. Bafarawa was also charged alone for collecting N100 million from Mr. Yuguda between February and April 2015, being stolen government money, but for which it was reportedly used in respect of the PDP campaign in the North Western part of Nigeria.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu were also alleged to have transferred N400 million from the account of NSA with Zenith Bank to the account of Jabbama Ada Global Services limited controlled by former minister Bashir Yuguda on 16 April 2015.

The former NSA and his director of Finance, Salisu, also allegedly transferred N1.1 billion to the same account of Jabbama Ada Global Services belonging to Mr. Yuguda between February 5 and April 16for the purpose of financing PDP campaigns in the 2015 general election.

Mr. Yuguda was also alleged to have transferred N200 million on December 31, 2014 from the funds in the Federation Account Allocation Committee with Ecobank Plc to the account of Jabbama Ada Global, his personal company.

He also reportedly converted the money into Dollar equivalent and collected same.

Between December 23, 2014 and February 10, 2015, Mr. Yuguda was said to have “dishonestly misappropriated” the aggregate sum of $9,809,169, which was an equivalent of N1.95 billion belonging to the Nigerian government, by transferring same to Jabbam Ada Global Services Limited.

Messrs. Dasuki and Salisu also between August 2013 and February 2015 allegedly “dishonestly misappropriated” N1.675 billion by transferring the money to the account of Vibrant Resources Limited with Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, controlled by Abubakar Dasuki, the younger brother of the former NSA, purporting same to be payment for the supply of security equipment.

After they all pleaded not guilty to the charges, and their counsel said application for bail had already been submitted, Justice Affen fixed Wednesday for hearing on the bail application.