Nigeria’s president says ex-official stole US$2 billion in arms deal

ABUJA (Nigeria) — Nigeria’s leader yesterday (Nov 17) ordered the arrest of the former president’s national security adviser for allegedly stealing more than US$2 billion (S$2.85 billion) meant to purchase weapons for the military to fight Islamic militant Boko Haram rebels.

“Thousands of needless Nigerian deaths would have been avoided” if the money had been properly spent, Mr Femi Adesina, an adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, said in a statement.

It accuses Mr Sambo Dasuki, a key adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, of awarding “phantom contracts” to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets, and bombs and ammunition worth US$2 billion that never were supplied.

Mr Dasuki also ordered the Central Bank to transfer US$142.6 million to a company with accounts in the United States, the United Kingdom and in West Africa for unknown purposes and without contracts, Mr Adesina said.

The State Security Service has kept Mr Dasuki under house arrest for more than a week despite a Federal High Court order allowing him to travel abroad for medical care. The court had allowed Mr Dasuki bail after he pleaded innocent to other charges of money-laundering involving more than US$423,000 found in cash and illegal possession of arms seized at two of his homes. Mr Dasuki has denied the charges of money laundering and illegal arms possession.

The State Security Service, an agency formerly under Mr Dasuki’s control, said he refused to answer questions about arms deals.

Yesterday’s development follows an interim report by a presidential committee investigating arms procurement, part of the fight against Nigeria’s endemic corruption that Mr Buhari has waged since taking office in May after defeating Mr Jonathan in elections.

Mr Dasuki, 60, had usurped the role of the Ministry of Defence in procuring weapons. He was called before a Senate committee last year to explain South Africa’s seizure of US$9.3 million in cash from a private Nigerian jet that landed in Johannesburg and a US$5.7 million bank transfer that South Africa blocked, saying it involved an illegal arms deal. Mr Dasuki said the deals were legitimate.

Mr Adesina says Mr Buhari has also ordered the arrest of several others linked to the scandal. AP