Dasuki withdrew N10bn from CBN for PDP convention, witness tells court --Business Day

Immediate Past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.)

Junnaid Sa’id, an investigative officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has told a Federal High Court sitting before Justice Okon Abang in Abuja, how the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, withdrew N10 billion from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), converted it to $47 million, and shared same to People’s Democratic Party (PDP) members for the presidential convention.

Sa’id said the $2 million given to Nneka Ararume, a former staff of Assets and Resource Management (ARM) by Metuh was part of the disbursement of the $47 million, which was converted on November 27, 2014, and shared out to the PDP members for the presidential convention.

Sa’id also informed the court how money was shared between Kema Chikwe and others. The money’s equivalent, N366 million was further shared between Kabiru Ibrahim, Capital Investments, and one Eyitoyin, at N183 million, N91 million and N92 million, respectively.

He added that N77.5 million was given to Yomi Ogunsanya, also a prosecution witness in the case and his company CLC Connect Limited, while N25 million was paid to Abbah Dabo to carry out campaign activities for the PDP.

Also, he said N21,776,000 was transferred to PDP board of trustee chairman, Tony Anenih; N5 million to a former aviation minister, Kema Chikwe, and N50 million to the joint account of Metuh and his wife – Olisa and Kanayo Metuh.

At some point, N500 million was transferred in two tranches (N200m and N300m) from Destra Investment Limited account to Daniel Ford International’s account for the purchase of a landed property at Banana Island in Lagos.

He also informed the court that, during the course of investigation, Metuh mentioned making a presentation to the former President Goodluck Jonathan in the presence of Dasuki, but that it wasn’t worth up to N400 million but that Jonathan requested for he (Metuh’s) account details.

The EFCC operative further informed the court that Metuh had no contract or approval for the payment of N400 million made to Destra Investment Limited, as there was an internal process in the office of the NSA where contract documents are expected to be verified, when confirmed that such contracts had been executed, approval was then given for payment of such contract by the director of finance, office of the NSA and the NSA himself. Metuh is alleged to have received N400 million from Dasuki.

The money, from the EFCC investigation, was meant for arms purchase to aid in the fight against terrorists in the North East.

He is also being accused of tearing an official statement he made to the EFCC during his investigation.

Having closed his case, the prosecution however opposed the application for an adjournment by the defence counsel to enable it call its witnesses.

The trial court however adjourned the matter to February 18, for the defence to open his case.