– Indication emerged that more former ministers and ex- public officers in Jonathan’s cabinet might be arrested by the anti-graft agency
– Some of the suspects have decided to hide under the guise of acting on the instructions of Jonathan
There is serious tension in the camp of former president Goodluck Jonathan over fear of arrests of more suspects by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing probe into the $2.1 billion arms procurement funds.
The Nation gathered on March 23 that more former ministers and ex- public officers in Jonathan’s cabinet might be arrested by the anti-graft agency.
The suspicion is arising from the commission’s recent discovery of N8billion withdrawals from the Central Bank of Nigeria to villa coded account tagged ministry of external affairs (MEA) research library.
Goodluck Jonathan.
The commission disclosed that about N3.425billion of the N8billion was withdrawn for “special purposes” after the 2015 presidential election. The Nation further gathered that the commission might arrest more suspects over the mismanagement of arms funds based on new evidences. It was also gathered that some of the suspects, who have “sneaked out” of the country, might be declared wanted. It was learnt that one of the suspect allegedly spent his share of the arms cash to rent an apartment in posh Asokoro district in Abuja for his girlfriend at N26million annually.
The ex-official is alleged to have paid for three years at the cost of N78million aside agent fee.
“The ongoing investigation has led to the uncovering of looting of funds meant for arms procurement. Some ex-ministers in ex-President Jonathan’s cabinet and a few public officers will certainly be arrested to explain their roles in the alleged diversion of the funds.
Both the Presidential Committee on Procurement in the Armed Forces and the EFCC are collaborating on these latest cases.
One of the former office holders under probe allegedly blew N78million to rent an apartment in Asokoro District for his girlfriend/ mistress at N26million per annum.
We have located the house; we will soon interact with the landlord,” a source at the EFCC said.
The commission further hinted that out of the N8billion that was withdrawn from the CBN through villa coded account for political patronage under special purposes, about N3.425billion was spent on suspicious purposes after the 2015 presidential election. The anti-graft agency gave the breakdown of withdrawals as follows:
1. N2,683, 620, 263.00 released on March 30, 2015 to MEA Research Library
2. From ONSA Account Number 1014199287, about N350million was remitted to African Cable Television Limited on April 17, 2015;
3. N392, 428, 880 debited Account number 0142861012 for transfer to MEA Research Library on May 6, 2015
4. N5,554, 332, 420.04 withdrawn from CBN on February 3, 2014 through account 0142861012 for MEA Research Library
5. N18.066million transferred to MEA Research Library Account 0020142861012 on July 21, 2014 for security operation for Osun election
Another source in the commission said: “Even from the outset, the payment schedule was strange. The nation has only Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was last used by the Federal Government during the military era, which ended on May 29, 1999. So, we will unmask those behind the operation of the Presidential Villa Coded Account and the beneficiaries of these funds.”
It was also learnt that serious apprehension broke out in the immediate past president camp as some of the suspects decided to hide under the guise of acting on the “instructions of Jonathan.”
“Some loyalists of Jonathan are of the opinion that all those invited by the EFCC should go and account for their activities in office. The suspects said they either acted on Jonathan’s instructions or ran errands for him.
They said they cannot be held accountable for the directives of the Commander-In-Chief. But Jonathan has maintained silence and I think he is waiting for the right time to talk after the Presidential Committee and EFCC might have completed their investigations.
As a matter of fact, one of the ex-ministers implicated in the arms deals in ONSA has been advised by the ex-President to return to respond to enquiries from the EFCC,” a source in Jonathan’s camp said.
However, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has reiterated the federal government’s unrelenting resolve to move decisively against those who have acted with impunity in the handling of public funds. Daily Post reports that, Osinbajo who was represented by Prof. Itse Sagay at an event dismissed suggestions that the fight against corruption was responsible for the high cost of living, higher electricity tariffs and economic hardships currently faced by Nigerians.
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