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$2b arms deal: Those who shared the money, by Yuguda

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In from Ali Smart . . .
The embattled former Minister of State for Transport Bashir Yuguda who is currently facing corruption charges is certainly not ready to go down alone. Little wonder he has started to name his co-accomplices in the alleged $2b arms deal.

Speaking with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Yuguda said he gave a total of N600million cash to six chairmen of the Contact and Mobilization Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2015 general election.

He claimed that among those who benefitted from the largesse were Bode George (South-West); Amb. Yerima Abdullahi (North-East); Peter Odili (South-South); Attahiru Bafarawa (North-West); Jim Nwobodo (South -East); and Ahmadu Ali (North-Central).

Others who got lump sums include Jabbama Limited, through which Yuguda transferred N300million to BAM Properties whose account detail was given to him by a former National Chairman of PDP, Bello Haliru.

Yuguda made the allegations in a Statement of Witness/Caution which he wrote on oath. He also said he sent N200million to the erstwhile PDP Governorship candidate in Kebbi State, Bello Sarkin Yaki.

He said a former Governor of Zamfara State, Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi also got N100million.
The statement is part of the Proof of Evidence against the former Minister whose trial is scheduled to commence next week at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

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Yuguda is to stand trial with ex-Governor Attahiru Bafarawa and his son, Sagir Attahiru as well as Dalhatu Investment Limited.
The ex-Minister is expected to account for over N3.050billion including N1.1billion being part of the funds in the account of the ONSA and aggregate sum of N1,950, 000 belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which sum was transferred to Jabbama Ada Global Services.
Read also: Dasuki got $47m in 11 suitcases, court told

The ex-Minister said: “For the cash disbursement of N600million, it was meant for the six zonal chairmen for Contact and Mobilization Committees for Election of 2015. The chairmen are Bode George, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi; Peter Odili; Attahiru Bafarawa; Jim Nwobodo; Ahmadu Ali. The sum of N100million was given to each chairman. I gave the money in company of Prof. Alkali, who was Political Adviser to former President. The zonal chairmen are for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I also instructed Jabbama Limited to transfer the sum of N100m to Dalhatu Limited on the request of Attahiru Bafarawa.

“I also remember that Bello Sarkin Yaki was among the people that the then NSA instructed that I send the sum of N200million to. He was the PDP gubernatorial candidate in Kebbi State.”

Yuguda, who claimed that he had liaised with Stallion Limited, gave the details of other disbursements.
His words: “I knew the chairman of Stallion Limited whose second name I cannot remember. Between December 2014 to June 2015, on the instruction of the then NSA, I introduced Jabbama Limited to a staff of the company on the instruction of the chairman.
“When the account was in credit, disbursement was made from time to time on the instruction of the then NSA. Part in foreign exchange or transfers.

“I wish to add that sometime in February 2015, I instructed Jabbama to transfer the sum of N300m to BAM Properties. The account was given to me by Bello Haliru as one of the people the former NSA requested me to give money. I also remember that Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi was sent the sum of N100million on the instruction of the then NSA.

“Further to my statement of 30th November, 2015, I have brought the sum of $829,800 (equivalent to N200m) and N600m was given to me to distribute to the six PDP Zonal Committee chairmen. I don’t know who are the directors of Dalhatu Investment Limited but funds were transferred to the company’s account on the instruction of Dalhatu Bafarawa for the total amount of N1.5billion received from the then NSA by Jabbama Limited.

“I shall endeavour to recover the sum of N600million given to the six zonal PDP committee chairmen, while I appeal to the commission to use their machineries to trace the remaining balance of the money transferred to various accounts.”
The former minister however denied receiving another N200million credited to him.

“I have been shown transaction of N200million from the Office of the Accountant-General to Jabbama which Jabbama said it’s on my instruction but I cannot remember this instruction until I crosscheck,” he said.

Meanwhile, a former governor of Sokoto State, Alh. Attahiru Bafarawa admitted that he collected N100million from Yuguda through Sagir Attahiru.

Bafarawa, in his statement to the EFCC, said: “I know Bashir Yuguda. He called me to tell me there is money to be given for (sic) the North-West Campaign Committee which I asked how much and he told me is N100million for the seven states and ask (sic) to give it to Sagir which he did and the money was sent to the states campaign committee between 20th and 21st of February 2015 for the PDP Campaign for General Election.

“He did not tell me where the money was coming from. I did not ask him where the money was coming from.
“Sagir is my son and I directed Sagir to send the money to state chairmen campaign committee for PDP North-West.

“I also received N100million (dollar equivalent) from the North-West Campaign Committee. The money was given to me in the PDP National Chairman, Alh. Adamu Muazu house in Abuja in the presence of all the zonal chairmen as listed …and after collecting all this (sic) money, I gave the money to Abdullahi Yauri who was the Secretary of the North-West Campaign Committee to share to the state chapter and Yuguda didn’t tell me where he got the money from.”

Those who allegedly shared from the $2billion arms fund
Bode George—N100m
Yerima Abdullahi—N100m
Peter Odili—-N100m
Attahiru Bafarawa—100m
Jim Nwobodo—-N100m
Ahmadu Ali—-N100m
Bello Sarkin Yaki—N200milliom
Mahmud Aliyu Shinkafi—-N100m
BAM Properties—–N300m
Dalhatu Investment Limited—-N1.5billion

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