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| Military Generals |
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
may have started tracing landed properties of some ex-service chiefs, as part
of investigation into alleged arms procurement scam.
It was learnt on
Saturday that the commission was tracing the properties acquired by ex-service
chiefs during their tenures to other countries.
It was gathered that the EFCC’s action was
aimed at finding out if the military chiefs illegally acquired landed
properties while in service.
Findings showed that that the ex- service
chiefs, whose properties were being tracked by the commission, included a
former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and the immediate
past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
It was also learnt that the EFCC was extending its search to other military
officers, whose names featured in the report of the committee set up by
President Muhammadu Buhari to probe into arms procurements between 2007 and
2015.
On Saturday, it was reported that operatives of the EFCC on Wednesday
sealed off a house in Abuja, which was said to belong to Badeh.
The commission was
reported to have grilled a son of Badeh in connection with alleged arms
scandal.
The anti-graft agency
is currently detaining Col. N. Ashinze, a Special Military Assistant to former
National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki, who is also facing trial for
alleged diversion of $2.1bn meant for the procurement arms to fight Boko Haram
insurgency.
A top source in the
EFCC, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “We are trying to trace houses
that belong to some of military chiefs. Apart from checking their bank
accounts, we want to find out if part of the money for arms procurement was
spent on the houses.
“We are extending our
search to the United Arab Emirates and the United States. We will seek the
cooperation of those countries.”
Dasuki had denied
allegations that funds for four fighter jets and 12 helicopters were missing,
stating in a statement in December that the said equipment was signed for by
Amosu.
When contacted the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson
Uwujaren, on the issue, he said he did not have the information on the issue.
“I don’t have the
information that you are looking for,” he said.
Buhari had on Friday
ordered the EFCC to investigate 17 retired and serving military officers as
well as 21 firms over the arms procurement scam.
The President gave
the directive following a report submitted by a panel he set up to audit arms
procured between 2007 and 2015.
The committee had
confirmed that Nigeria spent about $2billion and another N29billion on NAF
procurement alone during the period in question.
According to the
Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, the
EFCC will probe the 21 companies and their directors for alleged fundamental
breaches associated with the procurements by the Office of the NSA and the
Nigerian Air Force.
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