The House of Representatives
committee investigating the status of
recovered loot has summoned the
Chairman of the panel that investigated
arms procurement from 2007 to 2015,
John Odey, a retired air vice-marshal,
over the $459 million falcon eye project.
The committee on Tuesday also
summoned the management of RTCom
Nigeria Limited, the company that
executed the project, which is a
maritime surveillance infrastructure for
the Nigerian Navy.
The panel, set up by President
Muhammadu Buhari to audit
procurement of arms by and for the
Nigerian military between 2007 and
2015, submitted a third interim report in
2016.
Mr Odey and RTCOM were summoned
to explain the circumstances
surrounding the transfer of N6.1 billion
to the NSA account.
Mohammed Jafar, who represented the
Office of the National Security Adviser at
the hearing, said the ONSA was not
involved in the recovery of loots.
When queried about the transfer of
funds in and out of the recovery
account, he urged the committee to
summon the Odey-led committee.
Mr Jafar, who is the Director of Finance
ONSA, had said the account was a post
no debit account, but the committee
discovered some transactions from the
account.
“If it was a post no debt, why was there
movement in the account? The ‘in and
out’ shows that there were
transactions,” Sada Soli (APC, Katsina),
a member of the committee, said.
Responding to the question, Mr Jafar
said: “The committee had the mandate
to audit all the defence procurements
and expenditures. The committee
commenced its tasks at ONSA and had
members drawn from various security
and intelligence agencies, including the
EFCC. During the audit, a recollection
account was opened in the Central Bank
of Nigeria for the deposit of recovered
funds.

“The account was designated NSA
funds recovery account, by the time the
committee was rounding off its tasks,
the total amount recovered was
N9billion and $7.4million, and they were
deposited in the CBN account. This
account was a post no debit account, as
such, no withdrawal was authorised or
made from that account.
“On the issue of N6.1billion paid to NSA
in August 2017 and later returned in
January, it was for the falcon eye
project, the contractor is RTCOM. The
project was awarded in 2014, before this
administration. The total amount for the
project was $459 million.
“The NSA met that project ongoing
when the investigation started, they
invited them for contract verification
exercise. At that point, the money was
paid to us, not on request.
“The same amount was paid back to the
company when the committee cleared
them.”
Mr Jafar also explained that the
Osborne Tower loot is not with the
ONSA.
“NSA coordinates the activities of
security agencies but does not
participate in the recovery of assets,
unless when the president directs
otherwise.

“I am not aware of the amount. The
money with us is not from Osborn
Tower. Let me give you the background.
At the heat of crisis in NIA, Mr President
directed the committee, headed by the
Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, the then
Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun and
National Security Adviser, Babangana
Monguno. In the course of that
investigation, I was tasked to go and
take over the office of finance in the
NIA, in the interim by the Vice President.
“They said all the funds there, I should
count them and document them
properly. The one that I actually took
over, I was asked to move that money to
the NSA and keep—It is not that the
money was looted, that I should keep
the money until they are done with the
investigation. So I went to the account
and took over that money. When they
concluded their investigation, Mr
President directed that we should return
the money. That was the money we
returned and I have presented the
certificate.”
The Chairman of the House committee,
Adejoro Adeogun, gave the directive for
both Mr Odey and RTCOM to appear.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/468031-reps-panel-summons-arms-audit-committee-chairman-over-459million-navy-surveillance-project.html

Watching intently...

Same old story

Hisbah displays weapons captured from bandits and Unknown Gunmen terrorising the North.
We are tired of national assembly probes, allow Hisbah to do their work.