Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina has reacted to reports that President Muhammadu Buhari benefitted from the alleged embezzlement of $2.1billion by embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
President Buhari was said to be one of the beneficiary of bulletproof cars gifts given to former Heads of State and Presidents, by the ex-NSA without approval by former President, Goodluck Jonathan.
A statement that went viral on Nigerian social media platforms on Monday reads:
“Buhari Collected $300,000 compensation from Dasuki. The investigation on the $2.1 billion arms purchase funds given to the former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) have revealed that President Muhammadu Buhari was among those that benefited from the security spending. According to Dasuki’s office, General Muhammadu Buhari collected $300,000 initial payment as compensation over Boko Haram’s attack on him. His bullet proof car worth millions was also replaced with new ones by Dasuki. President Buhari benefited from the alleged diversion of arms budget by Dasuki with newspapers owners, whose business was disrupted by both Boko Haram attacks and the military seizing their newspapers or disrupting their distribution channels. President Buhari was also alleged to have received 5 bullet proof jeeps from Sambo Dasuki valued over N500 million without the approval of the Presidency.”
According to Sahara Reporters, the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari, Femi Adesina said Buhari only took what he was entitled to as a former Head of State. “Nothing beyond what he was statutorily entitled to as a former head of state. Thanks,” he said.
The immediate past National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and three other persons were on Monday docked by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Messrs Dasuki; a former Director of Finance at the Office of National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu; a former General Manager at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Babakusa; and a firm, Acacia Holdings, were docked at the Federal High Court Abuja on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust.
All the accused persons pleaded not guilty.
One of the counts reads:
“That you, Col. Mohammed Dasuki( rtd.), whilst being the National Security Adviser and Shuaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser, and Hon. Warripamowei Dudafa (now at large), whilst being Senior Special Assistant, Domestic Affairs to the President, on or about 27 November, 2014 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court entrusted with dominion over certain properties, to wit: the sum of N10, 000,000,000( Ten Billion Naira) being part of the funds in the account of the National Security Adviser with the Central Bank of Nigeria( CBN), the equivalent of which sum you received from the Central Bank of Nigeria in foreign currency to wit: $47,000,000(Forty-Seven Million United States Dollars) and 5.6 million Euros, committed criminal breach of trust in respect of the said property when you claimed to have distributed same to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election delegates and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4 LFN 2004.”
Another count reads:
“That you, Col. Muhammed Dasuki(rtd.), whilst being the National Security Adviser, and Shuaibu Salisu, whilst being the Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser between October, 2014 and April, 2015 in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court agreed to do an illegal act to wit: criminal breach of trust by public officers in respect of an aggregate sum of N13, 570, 000,000.00 (Thirteen Billion, Five Hundred and Seventy Million) being part of the funds in the account of the office of the National Security Adviser and that the same act was done in pursuance of the agreement among you and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol.4, LFN 2004.
The accused persons pleaded not guilty to all the charges when they were read to them.
Justice Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case to Tuesday, December 15, for hearing on bail applications
