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Tag: Ex-NSA

$2.1bn arms deal: Dasuki’s family, associates demand release of ex-NSA

After being in detention for two years, relations and associates of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mr. Sambo Dasuki, yesterday asked the Federal Government to release him.

They said an Edict, titled Instrument No 1 of 1999, has shielded security agencies from external audit and investigation of their financial dealings.

They alleged that since the Department of State Security Service (DSS) had depended on the Edict to prevent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission from arresting or interrogating the former DG of DSS Ita Ekpeyong, the ex-NSA has no case to answer.

The affected relations and associates made their position known under the auspices of the Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki Progressive Association (SIDPA).

A statement, released to the media in Abuja by the Secretary General of the SIDPA, Comrade Kabir T. Auwal, reads in part: “The Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki Progressive Association (SIDPA), for and on behalf of the entire members of the Sultan Dasuki family, wishes to request the Federal Government, under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari, to respect the rule of law in the case of our son, brother and cousin and the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to release him from detention.

“Today is two years since the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, was arrested and re-arrested in December 2015 after securing his bail condition, but ignored by the Federal Government.

“ Since his incarceration, Dasuki has been arraigned before four federal courts which granted him bail, while the ECOWAS court, a sub-regional court not only ordered that the FG release him immediately, but also order his compensation to the tune of N15million.

“The agents of the Federal Government, especially Department of State Service (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), have refused to obey any of the court orders.

“Meanwhile, just recently the DSS had prevented the EFCC from arresting or interrogating the former DG of DSS Ita Ekpeyong by relying on the provision of a proclamation approved by General Abubakar Abdulsalam in 1999.

“The edict, titled Instrument No 1 of 1999, shields security agencies from external audit and investigation of their financial dealings, making them subject to only presidential review. Why is this not applied to Sambo Dasuki who supervised and coordinated activities of the intelligence services when the instrument has not been nullified or replaced by a National Assembly-enacted Act.

“In addition, just recently too, while receiving a report on National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over Osborne Tower Scandal from Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, President Buhari, in a statement by his spokesperson, Femi Adesina, said the scandal “must be understood that this (investigation) cannot be done in a manner that jeopardizes national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.” Why is this not applicable to Sambo Dasuki who supervised those agencies during his tenure. “We and other right-thinking members of his family have deliberately remained silent on his ordeal and persecution, hoping in a democratic government, rule of law would be adhered to.

“But surprisingly in over two years that Sambo Dasuki has been unlawfully and illegally detained without any court order or warrant, he has been subjected to media trial, scandalized, criminalized, insulted and humiliated not through any court of justice, but from the propaganda of the current administration through media trials of falsehood.

“Suffice to say that Dasuki has served the nation with best of intentions, yet he remains the only public officer that has remained in detention in the last two years; the only officer that has been granted bail by four courts.

“The FG’s sheer disregard for the rule of law in the last two years, especially as it affects Sambo Dasuki’s incarceration has become worrisome to the Dasuki family even when we lost our father, Sultan Dasuki. No nation develops in the absence of rule of law, in which case her extant laws and judicial structures are respected ýdevoid of sentimentality and grudging impunity.

“We are all living witnesses to the fact that some suspects on grievous charges of treasonable offence were released by this same government after clamour and outburst by their people. In Dasuki’s case whose offences are all bailable and granted by the court, he was not allowed to enjoy his bail.

“The disregard by the government agencies of these orders could not be without the express approval of President Buhari which is most painful and to his in-law. The judiciary should be encouraged to have the courage to exercise its powers without undue interference by the executive arm.

“Since we are not in a military junta but a democracy, Nigeria’s constitution should not be turned to military decrees with which rights of citizens are trampled upon without question.

“We strongly call on the ýFederal Government to respect the rule of law and allow Sambo Dasuki to enjoy his bail, except if the intention of government is to kill him in detention.

“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to release Dasuki on bail in compliance with the rulings of our competent courts while it continues with the cases in open court rather than in secret or media trial.”

December 30, 2017
Ex-NSA’s aide Ashinze regains freedom

After three months in custody, a former Military Assistant in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Col. Nicholas Ashinze, was yesterday released by military authorities.

Ashinze was quizzed on the $2.1billion arms deals including alleged whereabouts of N10billion allegedly belonging to a former National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoye Azazi.

He also said he does not have either $500million or N6.5billion in his personal account.

A statement by his counsel, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) said: “Col. Nicholas Ashinze who has been in EFCC/Army gulag since December 23, 2015, has finally regained his freedom as he has just been released from the Mogadishu Military Cantonment by the military authorities.

The EFCC also yesterday said it did not release any information to an online platform against Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The anti-graft agency made the clarification in a statement by its Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren against the backdrop of withdrawal of the judge from a case brought before him by the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki.

The statement said: “The attention of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has been drawn to media reports on the decision of Justice Abdul Kafarati of the Federal High Court, Abuja to decline ruling in the fundamental human rights enforcement case brought before him by Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

“The judge blamed his decision to disqualify himself from the case on a Tuesday March 21, 2016 report in an online news medium, alleging that he had been bribed to rule in Saraki’s favour. Justice Kafarati, according reports in Thisday Newspaper of March 23, 2016 claimed the online platform quoted the EFCC as the source of its information.

“Against this background, it has become necessary to state that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC had no hand in the report which is entirely the imagination of the authors.

“All allusions to the Commission’s investigation or documents in the said publication should be disregarded. At no time did the EFCC share intelligence or revealed the content of any dossier it may have on any judge for that matter with any media organization either in Nigeria or abroad.

“The Commission wishes to state for the umpteenth time, that it believes in the rule of law and will not take extra-legal measures to ridicule or embarrass any member of the public that may or may not be under investigation.

“The court is the final arbiter in cases of corruption. What the law expects of the Commission, which it has been doing, is to charge people investigated and indicted of any offence under the relevant laws to court. There is no other way.”

March 24, 2016
Ex-NSA Dasuki: I’m ready for trial

Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki vowed yesterday to defend his integrity, saying he is ready for trial over the N644billion arms deals probe panel says are fraudulent.

He said he acted in the interest of the country and with the fear of God while in office.

He also said that contrary to the claim of the Presidency, he submitted a comprehensive list of arms procured to President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving office.

He said all contracts and payments were approved by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dasuki, in a statement he personally signed, declared that he was prepared to meet the Federal Government in court.

He said he had a lot to tell Nigerians, except for the security of the country which was guiding him.

He said: “In a theatrical manner, the Presidency fed the public with many allegations against my person and yet to be named former public officers.

“To draw sympathy, the Presidency quoted some absurd findings, including extra-budgetary interventions; award of fictitious contracts; 53 failed contracts; payment for jobs without contractual agreements; non-execution of contracts for the purchase of four Alpha jets, bombs and ammunition.

“For undiscerning Nigerians, they may tend to assume that the allegations were true and pronounce the former National Security Adviser guilty as charged.

“The statement issued by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, who should know better as a former President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors and a witness to history, was nothing sort of propaganda to cast aspersions on Dasuki.

“To set the records straight, Nigerians should appreciate that the AVM Jon Ode-led panel did not invite the ex-NSA under any guise before arriving at its ambiguous findings.

“ At least, fairness demands that the panel ought to hear from Dasuki instead of its recourse to hasty conclusions.

“ If the panel had been more patient and painstaking, it would have been availed of all relevant documents on some of the jaundiced findings.

“As if acting a script, the Presidency alleged that the panel accused Dasuki of awarding fictitious contracts between March 2012 and March 2015.

“Contrary to this claim, Dasuki was not the NSA in March 2012 and he could not have awarded any contract in whatever name. The ex-NSA was appointed by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on June 22, 2012.”

The ex-NSA also explained that all arms contracts and payments were approved by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He said all the services acknowledged the delivery of military equipment supplied to them.

He added: “All contracts and accruing payments were with the approval of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. Once the ex-President approved, the former NSA paid. So, there was due process for every purchase in line with regulations guiding arms procurement for the Armed Forces.

“And Nigerians should note that all the services generated the types of equipment needed, sourced for suppliers most times and after consideration by the Office of the NSA, the President will approve application for payment. “

Dasuki said the conclusions of the panel were presumptive, baseless and lacked diligence.

He said: “For sensitive sectors (military/security), there was no room for awarding fictitious contracts. The conclusions of the panel were presumptive, baseless and lacked diligence.

“There were no fictitious contracts; contract sums were not diverted and the relevant services in writing acknowledged delivery of equipment. For all procurements, the Nigerian Army, the Air Force and the Nigerian Navy have their contractors.

“While awaiting judicial process on these allegations, it is proper to make some references to show that the Presidency was just desperate to hang some former public and military officers who served this nation at the risk of their lives.

“It is laughable for the panel to assume that 4 Alpha jets and 12 helicopters were undelivered. In a memo to the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA), referenced NAF/905/D/CAS of November 28, 2014, the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Adesola Amosu acknowledged the receipt of the 4x Alpha jets attack aircraft and the helicopters.

“On 10/21/14, the Chief of Air Staff also confirmed the receipt of F-7 N1 aircraft combination of 250kg bombs and accessories at $2,894,000 with the cost of freight at $1,200,000. The same Air Force confirmed getting 2xTri Shield 36DG Tactical radars.

“In another letter of December 1, 2014 signed by L.S. Alao(on behalf of the Chief of Air Staff), the Air Force said it received five containerised fuel storage and dispensing units with equipment.

“The Nigerian Army wrote the ONSA to acknowledge the delivery of 14 armoured tanks. In a December 13, 2014 memo, the Brigade of Guards thanked ONSA for releasing N30m for RCA, Operation allowance for Troops on Op Urban Sweep II for third and fourth quarters of 2014. This is apart from the installation of CCT Cameras at the Brigade Headquarters, 2 backscatter bomb detection vans and other equipment.

“”On November 26, 2014, the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, sought for approval of the award of one pair of uniform(in the interim) for the Armed Forces at N165, 375 to El-Jahab Mubarak Nigeria and N330,750,000 for two pairs.

“These are some of the acknowledgment letters submitted to me by the end-users(the services). It is not for me to go and find out whether the equipment were delivered or not. I am not the one keeping the inventories.”

He said he submitted the list of arms and ammunition bought to President Muhammadu Buhari before leaving office.

He added: “To show that I have nothing to hide, I submitted a comprehensive list of all requests for procurements by the services, the items bought and those equipment being awaited to His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari long before I left office.

“ If there were issues, I should have been questioned. I was just the clearing house, I did not award contracts to my company or proxies. There was no contract awarded or equipment bought without approval from the then President and Commander-In-Chief. I am not a thief or treasury looter as being portrayed.”

He said he was prepared for trial to clear the air on the arms deals.

Dasuki added: “In order not to endanger the nation’s security, there are many salient issues and contracts which I cannot put in public domain. I am ready for trial on all these allegations in order to prove to Nigerians that I did nothing untoward in office. We will certainly meet in court.

“I have a lot to tell Nigerians but in the interim, they should not believe some of the allegations as the gospel truths. The good thing is that some of the key actors in the present administration were parts of the past process being viciously challenged.

“As for my tenure as the nation’s NSA, I acted in the interest of the nation and with utmost fear of God. I did not use the office for any self-serving agenda. I occupied the Office of the National Security Adviser at a difficult moment in Nigerian history when terrorism was at its peak and I am leaving posterity to judge me accordingly.”

November 19, 2015
Ex-NSA shunned $2b arms purchase probe panel, says DSS

The Department of State Services (DSS) last night explained why its operatives laid siege to the home of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki.

In a statement signed by Tony Opuiyo in Abuja, the security outfit said: “This Service wishes to re-emphasise its commitment to the rule of law and strict adherence to democratic ideals.

“However, any person or group, no matter how highly placed, that may wish to test the will of the present democratic dispensation, will definitely be checked through the legal provisions of the law.

“The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been brought to the report that its operatives illegally blocked the home of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, in violation of a subsisting court order granting him relief to travel overseas for medical services.

“This is to say the least that such report is not only unfounded and malicious but aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Service.

“It may be recalled that Sambo (Dasuki) was initially arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering, for which reason his international passport was seized and on the order of the court, returned to the registrar for custody. What has, however, brought the seeming standoff between Sambo and the Service, despite the court-ordered release of his international passport on November 4, 2015, is his refusal to appear before a committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case.

“The public may wish to note that the government set up the committee to investigate procurement processes relating to a $2billion arms transaction by the last administration, under which Sambo was the NSA.

“It was on this premise that he was invited by the committee to shed more light on his involvement in the deal.

“It, therefore, remains surprising and shocking that Sambo has refused to honour invitations of the committee but instead resorts to grandstanding and the subtle blackmail of the Service.

“His refusal to appear before the committee has left the Service with no option than to adopt legal means to ensure his attendance.”

But Dasuki said in a statement last night that he was not invited.

His words: “I was never invited to appear before a committee set up by the current administration to investigate procurement processes relating to any arms transaction by the last administration under which I served.

“It was strange that a committee purported to be operating from the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA) could have transferred its mandates to DSS.”

November 6, 2015
Orji, Ngige mourn Kaduna governor, ex-NSA

Abia State Governor Theodore Orji and Senator Chris Ngige have described last Saturday’s death of former Governor Patrick Yakowa and former National Security Security Adviser (NSA) Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi in a helicopter crash as painful and shocking.

Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Ugochukwu Emezue in Umuahia, Orji said he was yet to come to terms with the sad development.

Orji said he was in Kaduna last weekend to attend the wedding of Vice-President Namadi Sambo’s daughter and was well received by his late colleague at Government House Kaduna.

The Abia governor said the nation has lost great men who distinguished themselves in their chosen professions and also helped to join hands with the present administration at different levels to develop the country.

Orji said the late Gen. Azazi was one of Nigeria’s finest military officers who distinguished himself as an intelligence expert, former Chief of Army Staff (COAS), former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and also the immediate past NSA.

He described the late Yakowa as humble, hardworking and God-fearing.

Ngige, in a statement, asked the family of the late Yakowa and the people of Kaduna to take heart and draw strength from the fact that Yakowa was brave till the end.

He said: “I had always admired Yakowa, as the first Christian Governor of Kaduna State and the way he handled the challenges that came his way as a governor, particularly the security challenges. I felt that this was one man who knew his onions and saluted his courage under fire. I can say boldly that he was no coward.”

The senator called for a proactive air safety system in order to prevent the loss of lives in Nigeria.

He said: “First, it was Dana this year, where we lost quality lives, then the Governor of Taraba State, Dan Baba Suntai. Thank God for him and now this is unacceptable, we cannot continue like this.”

December 19, 2012
N3b security contract: Ex-NSA, others likely for trial

There were strong indications yesterday that a former National Security Adviser (NSA) and five others may be hurled before a court to face charges for alleged poor handling of a N3billion contract, The Nation learnt yesterday.

The contract is for supply of 20 units of K-38 patrol boats to the Army.

Likely to be charged are some businessmen and officials of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS).

The State Security Service (SSS) and the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) are said to have concluded investigations into what is now known in official circles as a contract scandal.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said: “From the outcome of the investigation so far, six people, including a former National Security Adviser, may face conspiracy charges on the contract.

“The report of the investigative team will be forwarded by the NSA to the appropriate quarters for legal advice.”

Some suspects failed to appear before the investigative panel. The legal advice will determine their fate, the source added.

“But we have established a breach of contract, allegations of bribery running into millions, and money laundering against some suspects.”

Responding to a question, the source added: “The government will recover every kobo diverted in respect of the contract. The petitioner claimed that it could be more than N3billion.

“We have probed all angles to the contract and those involved will face the music soon. The government has taken a position not to spare the principal actors in the deal.

“Where necessary, companies implicated might be blacklisted by the Federal Government from operating in Nigeria .”

A businessman, Hassan Rabiu of Hypertech (UK) Ltd; exposed the scandal in an October12, petition entitled: “Conspiracy, fraud, supervision & compromising of Nigeria ’s national security and Official Corruption in the award and execution of National Security and defence projects in Nigeria by a group of Jews operating under many guises with the active connivance and involvement of a few unpatriotic Nigerian government officials and businessmen.”

He allegedly implicated some firms, including those owned by two Israelis, in the contract scandal.

Some officials of the Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Security (PICOMSS) were also named in the dispute.

One of the companies was to supply 20 units of the K-38 patrol boats to the Army at over N3 billion, the businessman said.

The said firm allegedly collected 80 per cent of the contract sum, but supplied only eight units of the boats.

It was alleged that five years after the company bolted away with the government‘s money, Hypertech CEO alleged that in November 2011, the company was introduced to TP Marine B.V, the manufacturers of the boat, by the firm’s original agent, Mr. ZVi Turbo of Shval Saar Limited.

TP Marine, Hypetech’s MD claimed, in his petition, expressed its willingness to sell the remaining 12 unpaid boats at an auction price to offset its banking obligation.

The petitioner alleged fraud in the execution of the contract and demanded a comprehensive probe into the deal.

Hassan said the alleged fraud does not involve about N3 billion but 15.5m Euros.

He said: “The 15.5m Euro scandal is only a tip of the iceberg, as it is interconnected and related to the theft of over 200m Euros through PICOMSS, the unapproved expenditures of tens of millions of dollars by PICOMSS, including the purchase of two private jets, etc, etc. and the swindling of the MOD (Ministry of Defence) of mega million dollars by a second set of Jews, all directly involved in swindling Nigeria over the years.”

November 26, 2012