» How Jonathan & Iweala Illegally Diverted N61.4B Abacha Loot To Dasuki - Premium Times «

The immediate past Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-
Iweala, illegally approved the transfer of at least N61.4
billion ($300 million and £5.5 million) from funds recovered
from late dictator, Sani Abacha, to the Office of the
National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, few weeks to the
2015 presidential election, PREMIUM TIMES can
authoritatively report today.
The former Minister signed off on the transfer but then
closed her eyes to how the funds were spent, requesting
then President Goodluck Jonathan to directly demand
accountability from Mr. Dasuki, according to documents
seen by this newspaper.
The funds were never appropriated before they were
transferred, a clear violation of Nigeria’s fiscal
responsibility law.
Mr. Dasuki, alongside the former governor of Sokoto State,
Attahiru Bafarawa and founder of DAAR communications,
owners of Africa Independent Television and Raypower
radio network, Raymond Dokpesi, are being investigated for
their roles in the disbursement of $2.1 billion and N643
billion meant for the procurement of arms to fight the
raging insurgency in Nigeria’s north east region.
The recovered Abacha loot are funds returned to the
Nigerian government from monies stolen from the
country’s treasury by Mr. Abacha.
The late dictator stole an estimated $5 billion from Nigeria
and the money is being returned in tranches after
agreement with countries such as Switzerland and the
United States. So far $700 million has been repatriated
from Switzerland.
It is not clear whether these funds in question were part of
the arms procurement funds for which Mr Dasuki is being
investigated.
But a letter signed by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, seen by
PREMIUM TIMES, showed that 50 per cent of the recently
recovered Abacha loot was allotted for “urgent security
need” such as the procurement of arms and ammunition
while the other half was set aside to be used for
development purposes.
The letter, dated January 20, 2015, which was addressed to
Mr Jonathan revealed that the money was transferred
following a January 12, 2015 request by the office of the
NSA under Mr Dasuki for funds for the procurement of arms
and ammunition as well as intelligence equipment.
“Please find a request by the National Security Adviser
(NSA) for the transfer of $300 million and £5.5 million of
the recovered Abacha funds to an ONSA [Office of the
National Security Adviser] operations account,” the letter
read.
“The NSA has explained that this is to enable the purchase
of ammunition, security, and other intelligence equipment
for the security agencies in order to enable them fully
confront the ongoing Boko Haram threat.
“His request is sequel to the meeting you chaired with the
committee on the use of recovered funds where the
decision was made that recovered Abacha funds would be
split 50-50 between urgent security needs to confront
Boko Haram and development need (including a portion for
the Future Generations window of the Sovereign Wealth
Fund),” Mrs Okojo-Iweala wrote.
She added that the letter was to seek Mr Jonathan’s
approval for the funds to be disbursed to the ONSA. The
former minister further explained that the money being
transferred formed part of the Federal Government
Independent Revenue.
However, instead of insisting on overseeing how the
disbursed funds were spent, as the country’s chief financial
officer, she abdicated her responsibility, expecting and
asked Mr Dasuki to account directly to Mr Jonathan.
“This letter is to seek your approval to borrow these funds,
for now, to disburse to the NSA. These funds form part of
the projected Federal Government Independent Revenue, to
be appropriated, in the light and for accountability, given
the peculiar nature of security and intelligence
transactions, we would expect the NSA to account to Your
Excellency for the utilisation of the funds,” she concluded.
In a January 30, 2015 letter, Mr. Jonathan approved the
transfer.
Governor Adams Oshiomhole vindicated
This latest disclosure appears to have vindicated Edo
State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who last week called
for the prosecution of Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala for transferring
funds that were not appropriated.
The governor stated that neither the president nor the
minister has power to unilaterally transfer funds that were
not appropriated by the National Assembly.
He therefore argued that Mr. Jonathan and Mrs Okonjo-
Iweala should be charged alongside Messrs Dasuki,
Dokpesi and Bafawara for allegedly misappropriating funds
meant for arms procurement.
“The issue is whether the Nigerian President under the
constitution has the power to approve funds belonging to
local, state and federal government- funds that have not
been appropriated by the National Assembly. That is a
criminal offense for which Okonjo-Iweala ought to face
criminal prosecution. These things are just discussed and
wished away. For me, I will stick for the truth and don’t
care what people will say,” Mr. Oshiomhole said.
“Talking about revelation, look at the letter credited to
Dasuki – the immediate past National Security Adviser. In
his defence which I read in your paper, he seems to admit
that money was spent but it was approved by the
President. Does the Nigerian constitution empower the
President to spend money which has not been appropriated
by the National Assembly? And they took cash from the
CBN. The Money Laundering Act says if you take cash in
excess of N5 million transaction, it is money laundering
and it is criminal.
“So, by Dasuki’s letter, he has also confirmed that Okonjo-
Iweala is privy to spending money never appropriated and
therefore criminal, and that cash were being moved
contrary to the money laundering act. Just using Dasuki’s
own defence, you can see a case of conspiracy has been
established between Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala and all those
involved in that transaction,” Mr. Oshiomhole said.
But in a stern statement, where she described Mr
Oshiomhole as reckless, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala asked the
federal government to call the governor to order.
She stated that she had “absolutely nothing to do with”
the $2.1 billion arms procurement money.
“It is unconscionable for the Governor to embark on a
campaign of lies against her because she thwarted his
dubious loan request,” she said.