By Ikechukwu Nnochiri ABUJA—

Former Director of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian Air Force, NAF, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi (retd), yesterday, exposed how ex-Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Umar, within two years, siphoned about N13.3 billion from account of the Force. Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar (read) (middle) at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Umar, who was head of NAF from September 9, 2010 to October 4, 2012, is facing seven-count money laundering charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, alleged that he used looted funds and purchased six choice property in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna States. Hearing commenced on the matter, yesterday, with the lead prosecution witness, Air Commodore Abdullahi (retd), revealing that the defendant diverted N558.2 million monthly from salary account of the Force.


Abdullahi, who was NAF Chief Accountant till December 31, 2013, told the court that though the Force regularly received N4 billion monthly as its total salary allocation, he said only about N2.4 billion was eventually spent to pay the entire Air Force personnel.

He said the defendant directed that N558.2 million of the balance of N1.6 billion from the salary allocation should always be converted to US dollars and brought to his official residence at Niger Barracks for his “monthly upkeep.”

The witness told the court that being the one facilitating the deduction of funds and its conversion to dollars, Umar okayed the monthly transfer of N200 million to the Directorate of Account and Finance. He said: “My lord, I told the Chief of Air Staff that my office didn’t require that amount of money. So, that N120 million was put under the Chief of Air Staff’s office which he was using for visits to NAF formations and other welfare issues.

“The balance of about N1 billion was used for training, maintenance of NAF assets, fleets and other private projects which include barracks construction and renovations.”

Abdullahi said he had, on several occasions, requested the Finance Officer at NAF headquarters in Abuja, one Group Captain Bukar, to accompany him to handover the dollars to Umar at his home. He said:

“This lasted up to his retirement in September 2012 on a monthly basis.

I believe he was using the money for whatever he wanted. However, he bought some property with the money we gave him.”

Abdullahi told the trial court that he helped the former NAF boss to acquire four choice property in Abuja with over N2.3 billion. Some of defendant’s acquisitions Highlighting some of the defendant’s acquisitions, the PW-1 revealed that Umar used N700 million that was withdrawn from NAF account to purchase a property at No 14 Vistula Close, Off Panama Street, Maitama Abuja. He purchased another mansion at 1853, Deng Xiao Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension Abuja with N860 million and renovated it with N66 million that was transferred from NAF operations account domiciled at UBA Plc, into Stanbic IBTC account No. 9202077424 belonging to Capital Law office.

He used another N500 million removed from NAF account to purchase a four bedroom duplex with boys quarters at Road 3B Street 2, Mabushi Ministers Hill, Abuja. Besides, the witness also revealed that Umar used the US dollar equivalent of N250 million to purchase a property situated at 14, Audu Bako Way, G.R.A. Kano State, in 2011, and equally paid N80 million for a property at 9, Cabala Road in Kaduna. He said: “Sometime between November/ December 2010, my boss the then Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal M.D. Umar, called me and asked me to get somebody who can find a house for him in Maitama where he intends to settle down after retirement.
“I told one of my friends Mr Hussein Umar, about what the defendant wanted. After a couple of days, he came back and told me he has found a house, a duplex with swimming pool and two boys quarters.
“My boss asked me to take him to inspect the property. He gave us time in the evening and we went to check it. “My boss saw the house and he was very happy.

He gave Mr Umar the go ahead to make agreement. The price was N700 million and the CAS authorised that I should pay from the money we usually give him monthly.” “I then directed the Finance Officer, Bukar to give the lawyer the equivalent of N700m in Dollars.
“The defendant gave me the name which should be used to prepare the Deed of Assignment.

The name was Mohammed Mai Jammar. “I gave the name to the lawyer. Afterwards the documents were brought to me for onward transmission to the defendant.
“Sometimes in early 2012, the defendant called me and requested that I should get that same person to get a house for him in Asokoro because he doesn’t want to stay in Maitama again.
“I called the lawyer, after two days he told me of two properties in Asokoro.
“I went along with Barr. Hussein to inspect the properties, thereafter I told the defendant that the lawyer has located two very good houses.

Inspection visit was arranged and I went with the defendant for the inspection.
“After the inspection he settled for the one at Plot No 1853 at Deng Xiao Ping Street, Off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension Abuja.
“My lord this is a duplex of about six bedrooms and an underground Hall, boys Quarters, a Gym and Swimming Poll and two bedroom guest Charlet.
“Just like the previous house at Maitama, he also gave me the same name, Mohammed Mai Jammar for the preparing of the Power of Attorney and Deed of Assignment. After which Barr. Hussein brought the documents for transmission to my boss.
“After that the defendant said he wanted a small mosque to be constructed and to reduce the depth of the swimming pool because of the Children. So one Architect Saka was brought.
“The price was agreed at N66m and the defendant gave the go ahead with payment. That was the end of the transaction.
“Something in 2011, the defendant asked me to go to Kano and ask someone to look for a befitting house so that whenever he comes home he will have a place to stay.
“I went to Kano and met a friend Jubril Shuaibu Ala who helped me to get an agent that helped us to get a house. That was how No 14 Audu Bako Way in Kano was purchased.
“It was a seven bedroom duplex with an enclosed swimming pool, about three living rooms, a study, a long tennis court, and a squash court and a also a two bedroom boys Quarters.
“The house belonged to one Sudanese by name Mustapha.

I inspected the house and told the defendant. During our next visit to Kano, we went to the house at night. He met the owner and had some discussions.

Subsequently, the amount was agreed at N250m. “My boss the defendant, after returning to Abuja, gave the money equivalent of the money in US Dollars.
“I cannot remember the name he used for the Title Deeds, but all the documents were given to me and I handed it over to the defendant “The next property was on No 9 Cabala Road in Kaduna.

It was also in 2011 that the defendant told me he needed a house in Kaduna because he was he has attraction for the state where he grew up.
“The building was a Guest House for Armed Forces Command at Jiaji. It was sold to the then Commandant of the College, Air Sunday Ali Meks by then Presidential Committee on sale of government properties.
“Meks called me to say he had no intention of having any property in Kaduna.

He called me because he was the last Commandant I worked with before I was posted to headquarters in Abuja. “I then told the defendant who was my boss about the property.

He told me he would want to get the property but didn’t want Air Vice Marshal Meks to know.

So I brought one Alhaji Kabiru Ismaila who was into properties who agreed to buy it on behalf of the defendant.

“The price was agreed at N80m. I told the defendant about the arrangement so he gave me the money to make the purchase. It was paid in Dollars.
“Thereafter, my boss asked me to get somebody to reconstruct the house.

Alhaji Ismaila Kabiru was then given the job. “The last property was at Ministers’ Hill. This was a property that was built by my colleague Bukka.

It was a land owned by a former Minister Yahaya Abdulkareem. “When I came back from Defence College in January 2012, Bukka told me that the house I was staying at No 8 Embu Street in Wuse 2, Abuja, is a house the defendant assisted him to buy.
“He said it was not appropriate for me to be living there because it is an estate. He wanted me to move to his own place so that he can take over my own.
“I refused initially but when his friend put pressure on me I reluctantly agreed on condition that I would move on my own, that being after I leave headquarters. He agreed and subsequently moved to the United Kingdom for a course.
“In September 2012 when the defendant was retired. His House at Asokoro was not ready because of renovation going on. He needed a house he can quickly move into after leaving the official residence of the Chief of Air Staff.
“At that time, he could not get a property to let for one year. So, I remembered this House at Mabushi. I met my boss that if they could manage that place at Mabushi. I explained to him how I came about the place.
“He told me to tell my wife to go and pick his wife and show her the place.
His wife was happy with the place when she saw it. That was how they moved into the house to enable the new Chief of Air Staff to move into his official residence. “He was living there up till December 31, 2013 when I was retiring.

Sometime early 2014, he told me it was time for them to give me my house. But I felt there is no way I will move into a house former Chief of Staff has lived in. It was so in the military.

I felt there is no way that me, a Former Director of Finance, can takeover a house formerly occupied by the defendant who must have been visited by a lot of people.
“So I told his brother one Abdullahi Mahmud Giya, now a house member.
He advised that I should sale it. He went and discussed with my boss, the defendant, and it was agreed that the defendant should pay me N500m.
“I told Bukar of the development and why I had to take the decision.

The defendant later gave me the N500m in Dollars and I used it to re-purchase the house and No 8 Embu Street from Bukar who was then in UK.
“My stay as Director of Finance and Accounts extended beyond the tenure of the defendant. I believe it was based on his advice that Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh retained me in the position when he was appointed. “This was because the defendant knew I wanted to leave the service but the defendant urged me to oblige if the new Chief wishes to retain me.

I told him I was tired and wanted to leave the service”, Abdullahi added. Meantime, trial Justice Nnamdi Dimgba adjourned the case till February 16 to enable Umar’s lawyer, Mr. Hassan Liman, SAN, to cross-examine the witness

Read more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/02/ex-air-force-chief-umar-diverted-n13-3bn-in-2-yrs-witness/

Even with all these revelations and concrete evidence some people will still be in doubt and the court will be stalling, playing a game of hanky panky insulting our collective sensibilities..


13.3 billion naira in 2 years, for just one man yet some people still wonder why we're in recession.. How much did Ambode use to establish 100's of entrepreneurs to set up SME's again Then imagine how many lives this could have impacted on positively. This is wickedness in high places, the kind the bible referred to in Eph 6:12...


I think we need to introduce capital punishment for looters/thieves holding public offices to serve as deterrent just like it is in china. My 2kobo

Thieves

But Where is Abdulraman Dambazzau's loots?

Now this is an Islamist and a northern looter... I am waiting to see how vigorously this case will be pursued.

People don't have conscience anymore. And because of this... I think death penalty should be given to corrupt officials thus making them have conscience again

Hmmmm


Baba is firing from all cylinders

What Dr Umar Dikko (snr) the most wanted fugitive during Buhari's military regime successfully averted the Air marshal Mohammed Umar Dikko (Jnr) is brought back to face by reason of posterity.

Karma is indeed a bitch and whatever goes around always comes around.

SamuelAnyawu:
But Where is Abdulraman Dambazzau's loots?

No hiding place for the wicked

I weak . . . dem take property swear for these people ni?

What a very sad and bad example for their subordinates.



#relentlessstealing #killnigeria

God

Until public official are executed for crimes against humanity then corruption will not be defeated.

Chai! if you have been close to this man's family you will know this isn't surprising. Even his distant relatives are swimming in money.
Anyway we are in total support of his probe and prosecution. Left for our defenders of corruption from a particular region known for shamelessly throwing a party for thieves to come adopt and defend him.

Bolustic:


Sambo Dasuki is a Sokoto crown prince, a muslim and a northerner,

He has been in detention over a year, dragging the ONIKUJE of KUJE title with Nnamdi Kanu

Corruption does not know religion nor region.





Get sense now!!!

Political prisoner. Get sense.

ZirdoRoray:
I'm not a wailer, not a zombie, not a northener, not an Afonja, am from the biafra region and I'M BEGINNING TO FEEL MR. BUBU!!!..

Correct

Mr Lalasticlala... Abeg help take this news to permanent site na biko!!

Nigeria is already finished.

Bolustic:


Sambo Dasuki is a Sokoto crown prince, a muslim and a northerner,

He has been in detention over a year, dragging the ONIKUJE of KUJE title with Nnamdi Kanu

Corruption does not know religion nor region.





Get sense now!!!

ONIKUJE of KUJE !

Bolustic:

Don't just speak English because you want to,

Speak, because you know and you want to make sense

BTW, Nnamdi Kanu is a political prisoner

Get some sense!!!

At my level I command English not just speak. Dasuki is a political prisoner.

Corruption is now our way of life even some people here that has been shouting on top of their voices against this endemic if given opportunity will embezzle more than them. We have lost our moral value and patriotism a longtime ago.

Bolustic:


Sambo Dasuki is a Sokoto crown prince, a muslim and a northerner,

He has been in detention over a year, dragging the ONIKUJE of KUJE title with Nnamdi Kanu

Corruption does not know religion nor region.





Get sense now!!!

Remember when Adeshina referred to them as "ekpa". They are those who never benefited a dime from the loot yet would wail till they kingdom come once a crook is being called to amswer for their crimes.

Bolustic:

So a person being detained for criminal corrupt practices is a political prisoner?

Na wa o!!!

Your ignorance is EPIC sir!!!

Am not paid to educate you son....So I'll let it slide

Because of people like this, I'm glad Hell exists...