Jonathan approved N80bn special funds for Dasuki

Former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki, received over N80 billion to execute projects not related to his office, Daily Trust reports.

Some documents seen by Daily Trust revealed that former President Goodluck Jonathan approved the sum of N80.83 billion to the office of the NSA between May 20, 2013 and March 2015.

The amount is more than the 2017 budget of Nasarawa or Yobe states or equivalent to the budget of five average federal ministries combined.

Dasuki is already on trial for alleged misappropriation of $2.2 billion dollars arm procurement deal.

The documents showed that payments were made in five batches from two special fund accounts namely – the Stabilisation and Residual Account and Development of Natural Resource Account. Some of the funds were spent on projects such as dam construction, protection and surveillance.

The biggest chunk of the money ₦36.4bn was processed on 24/03/2014 to NSA via a letter referenced PRES/87/MF/-2/235/100/MWR/107/149/NSA/625 and NSA/SH/600/A of 6th March, 2014. The Central Bank of Nigeria released the money on March 26, 2014.

The said letter ordered the Office of Accountant General of the Federation to release the fund from the Federal Government of Nigeria Development of Natural Resources Account for the protection of 20 selected dams including helicopter surveillance, rehabilitation of Kiri Dam and construction of Mangu Dam.

Investigations show that the contracts didn’t follow due process even before the release of the fund. In the same vein, a visit to some dams in Abuja and some north eastern parts of Nigeria by some auditors have no proof of NSA staff or duty post at the dams even during the peak of the crises. The auditors also did not witness any helicopter landing platform at the dams.

Daily Trust, January 13, 2017

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