Barely three days after the Presidency claimed that 300 persons and companies were implicated in N116billion “curious” contracts issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA), details of the cash some of those indicted will refund have emerged.
Also at the weekend, it was learnt a former Director of Funds in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mohammed Dikwa, admitted to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission( EFCC) that the controversial $2.billion released to ONSA under ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki were based on either presidential or ministerial orders.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Thursday claimed that the ONSA committee had recovered over N7billion from those indicted.
The indicted companies are to refund
N41 billion.
The investigating agencies,
including the EFCC, will determine whether N75 billion should be recovered from
some of the companies.
The Special Committee in the Office
of the NSA found some persons and companies “guilty” of some infractions.
Some of the alleged infractions:
- breach of contract terms;
- non-execution of contracts;
- haphazard or partial completion of contracts;
- collection of funds for unexecuted contracts;
- diversion of funds for political purposes; and
- sheer mismanagement of contract funds.
The 300 persons and companies have
been referred to investigating agencies, including EFCC, Independent Corrupt
Practices and Other Offences Commission (ICPC) and the police.
Amounts to be refunded by some of
the persons and companies are as follows: Acacia Holding Limited – (N600m
and N650m); Reliance Referral Hospitals Limited – N750m (16/4/2015);
African Cable Television Limited -N350million; Dalhatu Investment
Limited(N500m) -20/12/13 and N200m on 17/3/15;,Duchy Concepts Limited
RC392281(N70m) – 17/3/15; Wehsec Farms Limited RC 713258(N200m); Stellavera Dev
Company – N250m; Stellavera Dev Company- N250m; Societe d’Equipments
internationaux – $6,954,000(21/4/2015), $30m(9/5/15); $50m(9/3/15); €1, 395,
346.84(11/12/13); €1,401,869(2/10/13); €2, 252,252.25; $16m (20/5/14);
$38m(20/5/14); $36m(20/5/14); $5m(4/6/14); $10m(11/7/14).
Some of the expected refunds from
individuals are Dr. Bello Matawalle – N300m; Bello Fadile -N100m and Bashir
Yududa N1.5 billion.
A source in EFCC said: “Some of
those indicted have outstanding cases under investigation by our agency. These
allegations are intertwined and we may have to improve on a few clues.
“The latest assignment is to recover
the sums against these 300 persons and companies. A few of them had written
to the commission to refund some money illegally collected for jobs
undone.
“ In line with the mandate of the
Presidency, we will get to the root of the allegations against those already
referred to us. We will also collaborate with other investigating agencies.”
Responding to a question, the source
added: “Of course, some of these persons and companies will be prosecuted.”
Meanwhile, a former Director of
Funds in the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, Mohammed
Dikwa, has given an insights to the disbursement of the controversial
$2.1billion and other funds to ONSA under Dasuki.
Dikwa gave the details in a
statement made to the EFCC on the ongoing investigation of the $2.1billion arms
procurement cash and the trial of some suspects.
He admitted to the EFCC that
funds were released to ONSA, led by Dasuki, based on either presidential
or ministerial orders.
He said: “I am the Director of Funds
from April 2013 to date. All releases were made based on approvals by relevant
authorities.
“Releases of funds are normally
initiated by relevant MDAs and go through presidential approval or
ministerial approval or budgetary provisions, depending upon the nature of the
requests.
“Having obtained the necessary
approvals, the OAGF will process the approval by drawing a mandate instrument
and send to the Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN).
“The CBN will then pay the amount
involved to the relevant agency. The agency will now spend the funds in line
with the established Financial Rules and Regulations.
“The Office of the Auditor-General
of the Federation and other relevant agencies will also conduct
post-mortem examination of the books of accounts of such MDAs as to the
appropriateness or otherwise of such transactions.
“All releases in favour of the
National Security Adviser were based on approvals by the appropriate
authorities.
The following releases were made
under the former Accountant-General of the Federation( Mr. J.O. Otunla) :
$250,000,000 on 16/2/2015; $5,500,000 on 20/3/2015; $10,000,000 on 9/4/2015;
$10m on 29/4/2015; $1,200, 000,000 in November 2013; $5.5m on 13/12/2013;
$120m(15/11/2013)
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