₦airaland Forum

How Jonathan, Okonjo-Iweala illegally diverted N61.4 billion Abacha loot to NSA, Sambo Dasuki

The immediate past Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, illegally approved the transfer of at least N61.4 billion ($300 million and £5.5 million) from funds recovered from late dictator, Sani Abacha, to the Office of the National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, few weeks to the 2015 presidential election, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today.

The former Minister signed off on the transfer but then closed her eyes to how the funds were spent, requesting then President Goodluck Jonathan to directly demand accountability from Mr. Dasuki, according to documents seen by this newspaper.

The funds were never appropriated before they were transferred, a clear violation of Nigeria’s fiscal responsibility law.

Mr. Dasuki, alongside the former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa and founder of DAAR communications, owners of Africa Independent Television and Raypower radio network, Raymond Dokpesi, are being investigated for their roles in the disbursement of $2.1 billion and N643 billion meant for the procurement of arms to fight the raging insurgency in Nigeria’s north east region.

The recovered Abacha loot are funds returned to the Nigerian government from monies stolen from the country’s treasury by Mr. Abacha.

The late dictator stole an estimated $5 billion from Nigeria and the money is being returned in tranches after agreement with countries such as Switzerland and the United States. So far $700 million has been repatriated from Switzerland.

It is not clear whether these funds in question were part of the arms procurement funds for which Mr Dasuki is being investigated.

But a letter signed by Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, seen by PREMIUM TIMES, showed that 50 per cent of the recently recovered Abacha loot was allotted for “urgent security need” such as the procurement of arms and ammunition while the other half was set aside to be used for development purposes.

The letter, dated January 20, 2015, which was addressed to Mr Jonathan revealed that the money was transferred following a January 12, 2015 request by the office of the NSA under Mr Dasuki for funds for the procurement of arms and ammunition as well as intelligence equipment.

“Please find a request by the National Security Adviser (NSA) for the transfer of $300 million and £5.5 million of the recovered Abacha funds to an ONSA [Office of the National Security Adviser] operations account,” the letter read.

“The NSA has explained that this is to enable the purchase of ammunition, security, and other intelligence equipment for the security agencies in order to enable them fully confront the ongoing Boko Haram threat.

“His request is sequel to the meeting you chaired with the committee on the use of recovered funds where the decision was made that recovered Abacha funds would be split 50-50 between urgent security needs to confront Boko Haram and development need (including a portion for the Future Generations window of the Sovereign Wealth Fund),” Mrs Okojo-Iweala wrote.

She added that the letter was to seek Mr Jonathan’s approval for the funds to be disbursed to the ONSA. The former minister further explained that the money being transferred formed part of the Federal Government Independent Revenue.

However, instead of insisting on overseeing how the disbursed funds were spent, as the country’s chief financial officer, she abdicated her responsibility, expecting and asked Mr Dasuki to account directly to Mr Jonathan.

“This letter is to seek your approval to borrow these funds, for now, to disburse to the NSA. These funds form part of the projected Federal Government Independent Revenue, to be appropriated, in the light and for accountability, given the peculiar nature of security and intelligence transactions, we would expect the NSA to account to Your Excellency for the utilisation of the funds,” she concluded.

In a January 30, 2015 letter, Mr. Jonathan approved the transfer.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole vindicated

This latest disclosure appears to have vindicated Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, who last week called for the prosecution of Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala for transferring funds that were not appropriated.

The governor stated that neither the president nor the minister has power to unilaterally transfer funds that were not appropriated by the National Assembly.

He therefore argued that Mr. Jonathan and Mrs Okonjo-Iweala should be charged alongside Messrs Dasuki, Dokpesi and Bafawara for allegedly misappropriating funds meant for arms procurement.

“The issue is whether the Nigerian President under the constitution has the power to approve funds belonging to local, state and federal government- funds that have not been appropriated by the National Assembly. That is a criminal offense for which Okonjo-Iweala ought to face criminal prosecution. These things are just discussed and wished away. For me, I will stick for the truth and don’t care what people will say,” Mr. Oshiomhole said.

“Talking about revelation, look at the letter credited to Dasuki – the immediate past National Security Adviser. In his defence which I read in your paper, he seems to admit that money was spent but it was approved by the President. Does the Nigerian constitution empower the President to spend money which has not been appropriated by the National Assembly? And they took cash from the CBN. The Money Laundering Act says if you take cash in excess of N5 million transaction, it is money laundering and it is criminal.

“So, by Dasuki’s letter, he has also confirmed that Okonjo-Iweala is privy to spending money never appropriated and therefore criminal, and that cash were being moved contrary to the money laundering act. Just using Dasuki’s own defence, you can see a case of conspiracy has been established between Dasuki, Okonjo-Iweala and all those involved in that transaction,” Mr. Oshiomhole said.

But in a stern statement, where she described Mr Oshiomhole as reckless, Mrs Okonjo-Iweala asked the federal government to call the governor to order.

She stated that she had “absolutely nothing to do with” the $2.1 billion arms procurement money.

“It is unconscionable for the Governor to embark on a campaign of lies against her because she thwarted his dubious loan request,” she said.


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/194870-how-jonathan-okonjo-iweala-illegally-diverted-n61-4-billion-abacha-loot-to-nsa-sambo-dasuki.html

Following.

Obasanjo recovered part of the Abacha loot, and Goodluck Jonathan now approached Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, to educate him on how to distribute the Wealth to their PDP cronies, and supervised by Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Some Billions of Naira was even released to Herbalist Bafarawa, who by the way, should be in the Guinness Book of World record as the most expensive herbalist ever.

At the end of the day, it will take Nigeria and Nigerians years to recover from this Economic Sabotage, that was visited upon her by a supposedly Ph.d holder.

We will get our money back, and when eventually that chubby one Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, is arrested. I bet she will start singing like Salawa Abeni, and then the last of the Jonathan stolen fund will be in Nigeria's coffers.

This Government is working.

Observing...

In D'banj voice when Him and don jazzy were still together, D' banj would have done an intro of a song as:
Its jojojojojo Jonathan Again!

IBB said he is inexperience and incompetent

The Sun News paper did and article. Tilted" Were was Jonathan.

At times, I begin to question the phd of jonathan.Ngozi is a Doctor and so you are. Why would you allow her to use your head?

Obviously she was smart enough to push the wahala to you and Dasuki opened an ATM machine on your head!

Jonathan, you fall Niger Delta hand big time.

I be cumin

The only difference i see between Dasuki and NOI is that the the former was stupid and the latter was smart, otherwise both were selfish and didnt have Nigeria's interest @ heart

A

Firefire:
Observing...

May God of thunder strike u if u derail this topic.Thousands of people have lost their life bcose of this agent of darkness called PDP AND BOKOHARAM.May the looters rest in hell and may the soul of the dead torment till they enter their grave...AMIN...AMEN...

looting the loot...

more like your bae also has a boo..

Why is buhari chasing after gej's administration only?There are corrupt ex gov in his recent appointed ministers.The money his northern brothers looted is times 50.Can't the corruption be fought in all nook and crannies?

All these thieves should be jailed for life including their hero

RIP Democracy.A Military PMB would have bundled her in a crate back to nigeria. GEJ Waka pass president
No lie only truth!

Does the Nigerian constitution empower the President to spend money which has not been appropriated by the National Assembly?

Enough of this stupid blackmail!! We were here when Buhari approved the distribution of over N500Billion to state Governors without seeking approval from the national assembly!! As long as the said money was not embezzled,there is no crime here!! The NSA is a federal agency and the money recovered belongs to the FG,so there is nothing wrong is appropriatingg the money for the procurement of arms through the NSA especially as the country was suffering from the boko haram menace!!

The questions we should be asking is "was the money used for the purpose to which it was deployed" Anyother other than this is mere media rant!!

BTW the SW media can rant from now till 2019,Buhari would not summon enough courage to invite GEJ for questioning.Take it from me

TimeManager:
RIP Democracy.A Military PMB would have bundled her in a crate back to nigeria. GEJ Waka pass president
No lie only truth!

Ode GEJ is in Bayelsa state !! If they born you well go and pick him up

MabraO:
As usual
Wen it involves Jonah daft ur brain suddenly goes dead but if PM.. Is mentioned ur dead brain comes to life nd makes u start reasoning like an animal

The same way your brain went dead when Fashola's contracts scam were exposed.

MabraO:
As usual
Wen it involves Jonah daft ur brain suddenly goes dead but if PM.. Is mentioned ur dead brain comes to life nd makes u start reasoning like an animal

No comment. Thanks

Has there been any form of accountability, auditing and transparency in the Nigeria government.....

This is obviously coming to our hearing cos of change in government.....

Several corrupt occurrences had been going on. Thank God It's obviously clear to us hidden appropriation of fund.....

What is the way forward to avoid this subsequently

If care is not taken, such might be going on in the APC government presently but might no be this bogus....

REVOLUTION is basically a way forward if we the youth want a drastic change for real.

@chukwudi44, Chief-fool, Go and thank your stars at okija shrine that PMB did not return as a military . Your wakapass heroes would have been singing at the tribunal. to hell with democratic bureacracies
No lie only truth!

TimeManager:
@chukwudi44, Chief-fool, Go and thank your stars at okija shrine that PMB did not return as a military . Your wakapass heroes would have been singing at the tribunal. to hell with democratic bureacracies
No lie only truth!

How could he return as a military when he has no certificate and cannot even defeat a rag-tag boko haram army!! He is a very big disgrace to the military.

@chukwudi44, to you and fellow wailers Pmb does not have a certificate. As far as UCLES(University of cambrige) has not denied Pmb as her candidate nor refute the fact that Pmb sat for her exams and had a certificate, then nothing doing.
Secondly, A RAG TAG BH that ran Gej's ragged for 5yrs? By the we are done with the saboteurs who sliced our security votes among themselves, then we shall know who allowed BH fester, till then i wail for you
No lie only truth!