The embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, has received over N80 billion, to execute projects not related to his office, through former President, Goodluck Jonathan, a latest report has shown.
The amount according to Analysts, is more than the 2017 budget of Nasarawa State, or equivalent to the budget of five average Federal Ministries combined.
Recall, that Dasuki is already on trial for an alleged misappropriation of $2.2 billion, through the arms procurement deal.According to the documents: “Payments were made in five batches from two special fund accounts namely; the Stabilization 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 ₦36.4 billion, was processed on 24/03/2014, to the 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, CBN, released the money on March 26, 2014.
The said letter ordered the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, AGF, to release the funds 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 the construction of Mangu Dam.
Investigations show that the contracts did not follow due process, even before the release of the funds.
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 crisis. The Auditors also did not witness any helicopter landing platform at the dams.
Another payment of ₦30 billion was made on March 11, 2015, to the former NSA, approved by the former Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, for security related transactions, via memo REF. DFD/OAGF/365/1and FD/5385/S.44/IV/T/307 of 2nd & 3rd March, 2015, from the stabilization and residual account. The letter did not contain details of the security related transactions.
According to some observers, the release of the funds, contravened the extant laws of Nigeria.
In the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 80 (3) states that: “No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the Federation, other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Act of the National Assembly”
In the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 80 (3) states that: “No moneys shall be withdrawn from any public fund of the Federation, other than the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation, unless the issue of those moneys has been authorised by an Act of the National Assembly”
Also, the Revenue Act states that the Stabilisation Fund, shall be used to initially augment the allocation to any State of the Federation that suffers absolute decline in its revenue arising from factors outside its control, in accordance with the acceptable threshold, to be worked out by the National Revenue Mobilisation Allocation, and Fiscal Commission, RMFAC, at which recourse can be had to the Fund and for how long.”
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