Nigeria’s former minister of finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has thrown some light on the $322 million passed by her office to Colonel Sambo Dasuki, the former National Security Adviser.

The money which was part of the recovered loot from the former military leader, General Sani Abacha, was approved by then President Goodluck Jonathan, to be used for “urgent security operations”, different from the purpose for which the money was to be deployed.

Okonjo-Iweala in a statement by her media adviser,Paul C Nwabuikwu, claimed her role has been distorted, accusing Edo Governor, Adams Oshiomhole and other powerful interests for masterterminding the distortion in some baseless story published by some online media.

Oshiomhole today urged the Federal Government to go after former Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala for the ongoing probe of the over $2 billion arms deal. The governor spoke to State House correspondents Wednesday after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari.

Oshiomhole said the money for the purchase of arms could not have been released without the approval of the former finance ministers.

He said the Federal Government should go beyond the former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki and other currently facing charges for the arms deal.

According to him, a National Security Adviser is not supposed to be a procurement agent of the government.

Oshiomhole said Dasuki was only one “bleeding point” in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, saying there were many bleeding points there.

But Okonjo-Iweala was swift with a response:
“To achieve their evil propaganda objective of tarnishing her name, these evil elements have distorted the contents of a memo dated January 20, 2015 in which the former Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala responded to a request by the former National Security Adviser, Col Ibrahim Dasuki (retired) for funds to prosecute the terror war against Boko Haram.”

Here are the facts, the response claimed:

* The central responsibility of the Minister of Finance IS to find sources of funding for the financing of approved national priorities such as security, job creation and infrastructure.

* It will be recalled that throughout 2014, there were public complaints by the military hierarchy to President Goodluck Jonathan about the inadequacy of funds to fight the anti-terror war in the North East, resulting in Boko Haram making gains and even taking territories. A lot of the criticism was directed at the Federal Ministry of Finance under Dr Okonjo-Iweala which was accused of not doing enough to find funds for the operations.

*In fact, the Ministry, on several occasions, had to call press conferences to provide details of budgetary spending on the military, to show, against the background of limited resources and other urgent national priorities, that it was doing its best on funding security.

* It was about this time that some new Abacha funds of about $322m were returned with another $700m still expected to be returned. (This is not to be confused with the Abacha funds returned in 2005-2006 under the Obasanjo government whose use for developmental purposes was monitored by the World Bank as earlier explained by Dr Okonjo-Iweala).

* Former President Jonathan set up a Committee comprising of the former Minister of Justice, former NSA and the former Minister of Finance to determine how best to use both the returned and expected funds for development.

* The NSA made a case for using the returned funds for urgent security operations since, he noted, there cannot be any development without peace and security. Based on this, a decision was taken to deploy about $322m for the military operations, while the expected $700m would be applied for development programmes as originally conceived.

*Following the discussions and based on the urgency of the NSA’s memo, Dr Okonjo-Iweala requested the President to approve the transfer of the requested amount to the NSA’s Office for the specified purposes.

*But, as captured in the memo, she insisted on three conditions: a. only a part, not the entire Abacha funds would be spent on the arms; the rest would be invested in developmental projects as originally conceived b. the money was to be treated as borrowed funds which would be paid back as soon as possible c. the NSA’s office was to account for the spending to the President who was the Commander in Chief, given the fact that the Minister of Finance is not part of the security architecture and does not participate in the Security Council.

* The attempt to link the former Minister’s name to any misuse of these funds for any purpose other than security as far as she understood it is totally false and cannot stand.

http://thenewsnigeria.com.ng/2015/12/okonjo-iweala-jonathan-approved-322m-abacha-loot-for-dasuki/

Finally, the chickens are coming home to roost.

Likely seriously?

None of my business. How does it CHANGE d price of a bag of rice ds December

So,basically ALL Abacha funds returned under OBJ and GEJ were all handled by Okonjo-Iweala??

No wonder she's crying her eyes out at the accusations that haven't even been made yet.

So Jonathan see your disciples wey U dey do chop and chop with does not clean their mouth.. U should have chop it alone



Well U may break the record of Nigeria president by going to jail after obj




In buhari voice: go arrest that man and give his hat to the Fulani in case of the sun when in the bush with cattles

This woman always exempting herself from allegations. Will she say she no follow chop? One day, she won't go impunity.

I thought she initially said she was not involved.

Naija I hail oooo. From one aboki (thief bacha) to another aboki (armed robber dasuki) + all dem pick pocket dokpesi, bafarawa and co.

The pattern deployed to do the rip off was very careless and barbaric.

We have not heard the last on this yet. More will be exposed by the day.

I see NOI fully in this. She is complicit here. If not as finance minister she will be privy as coordinating minister of everything. The pattern of cash transfers and movements must have breached some laws too. So make she wait small bfor she rush to press. When we reach there we go know Hafa.

As for GEJ I think he is due for another visit to aso rock. He needs to talk to his man there for soft landing.

Shallom Nigeria.

Yeeehhhhhhh mogbe ooooooo


In this same country wey I never step out for my life ahhhhhhhhhhh nd dollar dey fly like this chaiiiiii yeeeee


Ok

And some stupid ppl blind by sentiment will com here to shout this guy wey b like Eyo na hero (may b hero for corruption) and that wey head scarf b like those gbeborun for village the best (may be the best on paper in terms of practical) abeg mk all of u na come and seeee ooooooo they av destroy this country awon omo iran kiran osi. Ati oko wa ba ile je olohun yio sey idajo


Kai o den ka mi lara

Chai ein dey pain m gannnnn

Nigeria and corruption are like to inseparable bed fellows. It's a shame! The amount of money being stolen in Nigeria by corrupt public office holders is staggering. Is Nigeria cursed? I weep for my country

.......and just like that Sanusi the real armed pen robber is forgotten while Okonjo is being chased up and down. Let them even arrest her so that she can open the Pandora Box of controversies surrounding the cycle of government spendings I am sure many would be shocked by what Aunty Ngozi will reveal.

Quite revealing.

NOI, the woman in charge of spending so called Abacha's loot since 1999. i recall her laying foundation of chibok school early this year, hope she completed her sweet mouth promises?

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/194077-abacha-loot-spent-on-roads-electricity-others-okonjo-iweala-tells-world-bank.html

http://www.channelstv.com/2015/03/06/okonjo-iweala-visits-chibok/

Oga gan o.

She don dey talk truth small small.. pretty soon! Foul yansh go open

tomakint:
.......and just like that Sanusi the real armed pen robber is forgotten while Okonjo is being chased up and down. Let them even arrest her so that she can open the Pandora Box of controversies surrounding the cycle of government spendings I am sure many would be shocked by what Aunty Ngozi will reveal.

Just let us finish with one before we go to the other! I am very sure that FFK and Fayose will be willing to go to press and publish your 'corrupt allegations' against SANUSI if you have any.

It's mind boggling how people don't even know the difference between approving and laundering! SMH!

So I give my son His school fees, he squanders it and ut becomes my fault?

Dasuki was given those funds to pursue legitimate causes and lest y'all forget, those funds don't need to be appropriated by the NASS cos they aren't part of any budgeted spending!

Realisticman:

Just let us finish with one before we go to the other! I am very sure that FFK and Fayose will be willing to go to press and publish your 'corrupt allegations' against SANUSI if you have any.

So abacha actually stole.
Thought De Dullard said abacha was a saint n never looted d treasury.
1998-2015 is 17yrs down d line n De Dullard jst realized he was simply dunce n blank on issues within his so called "country" let alone regulating global oil price.
It is still a none-issue as funds r within his fulani dasuki n sanusi brothers. He can use dm as lab rats. Deceit from presidency

magmack:

So abacha actually stole.
Thought De Dullard said abacha was a saint n never looted d treasury.
1998-2015 is 17yrs down d line n De Dullard jst realized he was simply dunce n blank on issues within his so called "country" let alone regulating global oil price.
It is still a none-issue as funds r within his fulani dasuki n sanusi brothers. He can use dm as lab rats. Deceit from presidency

'he can use them as lab rats'!So Buhari is no longer sectional in his probe as some of you claimed earlier on?This is how you all will covertly admit to all his policies.On Abacha's loot; what is the essence of the loot recovered when it has also been relooted. The whole scenario surrounding it looks to me as the chibok girls looks to some of you- a hoodwink!

Jonathan should be arrested asap. He told us in US. That he did not approve such bogus amount.

PRYCE:
It's mind boggling how people don't even know the difference between approving and laundering! SMH!

So I give my son His school fees, he squanders it and ut becomes my fault?

Dasuki was given those funds to pursue legitimate causes and lest y'all forget, those funds don't need to be appropriated by the NASS cos they aren't part of any budgeted spending!

Oh God, I feel so unfortunate being a Nigerian when I come across people like this.

Smh.

PRYCE:
It's mind boggling how people don't even know the difference between approving and laundering! SMH!

So I give my son His school fees, he squanders it and ut becomes my fault?

Dasuki was given those funds to pursue legitimate causes and lest y'all forget, those funds don't need to be appropriated by the NASS cos they aren't part of any budgeted spending!

you be first class mumu oh. pray to God for understanding.

This woman is going to jail - i trust Buhari.

PRYCE:
It's mind boggling how people don't even know the difference between approving and laundering! SMH!

So I give my son His school fees, he squanders it and ut becomes my fault?

Dasuki was given those funds to pursue legitimate causes and lest y'all forget, those funds don't need to be appropriated by the NASS cos they aren't part of any budgeted spending!

You are wrong!

She knew the money was to be shared and the reason she didn't bother to find out if the money was actually used for the intended purpose. Also, was this approved by NASS? This is not N1m for God sake! Jonathan's committee can't replace NASS and therefore can approve expenditure.

Two count charge here:

- conspiracy to steal public money using security/Boko haram as a guise
- extra-budgetary expenditure without NASS approval

Minimum jail term is 10 years for the two offenses if the judge is lenient.

Both GEJ and Okonjo will spend time with criminals in Kuja prison.

I think Okonjo and GEJ has something to tell us about the latest arms deal movie.

Wow

Who approved $2 billion?

Now i know most nigerians are illiterates...
We just want to hang someone without finding out what happened...
We hardly make researches but we love to blame...

WITH ALL THESE STOLEN FUNDS AND NOTHING IN NIGER DELTA TO SHOW THAT THEIR SON WAS IN ASO ROCK FOR 6 YEARS!

BUBU SHOULD JUST KEEP SILENT LET THE EXPOSURE CONTINUE REAL SOON IT WILL BE HIS PEOPLE IN NIGER DELTA THAT WILL BEG HIM TO JAIL JONA!

IT WILL HAPPEN REAL SOON!

magmack:
None of my business.
How does it CHANGE d price of a bag of rice ds December

It might not change the price this December, but it could possibly change it next December. If we ordinary Nigerians get serious about ending corruption in our country then it will result in a better and more productive economy for all of us.

omenka:
Oh God, I feel so unfortunate being a Nigerian when I come across people like this.

Smh.

You can port to Biafra!.... Or better Still, Utilize the APC's lagoon!...

mars123:
you be first class mumu oh. pray to God for understanding.

Ode why not counter with facts if you've got so much understanding?