Arms Deal Scandal: EFCC probes Bode George, Odili; Dokpesi In Hot Soup

Exactly how many PDP chieftains got a slice of the “phoney” $2billion arms contracts cake?

This is the riddle theEFCC is battling to resolve. Its detectives are probing the alleged roles of Bode George, ex-Deputy National Chairman of the PDP; ex-Governor Peter Odili and a former General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Sarkin-Yaki Bello.

A top EFCC source said: “We have frozen three key accounts of a former Director of Finance of ONSA. By the time the figures are collated, we will tell you the actual amount. But out of N600million deposited in one of the accounts on October 2, 2014, about N100million was given to one Alh. Bashir. 

“All the three banks involved have been asked to put PNB on the accounts."

Bode George has denied knowing or receiving money from Sambo Dasuki. But did he receive money that did not come from PDP's account; like one of those Dasuki gave Billions? The saga continues.

Already, 3 bank accounts belonging to the embattled former Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) finance director Mr. Shaibu Salisu have been frozen.

The EFCC shut down the accounts as part of the ongoing probe of the $2billion arms contracts.

Also, the agency has invoked the Interim Assets Forfeiture clause in its Establishment Act to seize three duplexes, worth N810million in Lake View Estate in Abuja, which were allegedly traced to Salisu.

The EFCC is said to have discovered that Salisu allegedly “diverted government funds and made illegal (and unapproved) payments to his companies from ONSA’s accounts”.

The Nation stumbled on a document which indicates that four slush companies – Fanskan Equisite Travel Tours, Starr Concrete Blocks PPTYS, Famskan Exquisite Limited and Musim Ventures – were traced to Salisu.

The document shows that the EFCC found that three duplexes (at N270 million each) in Lake View Jabi allegedly belong to Salisu, in spite of the fact that the name on the receipt is Yusuf Salisu.

These duplexes were apart from a “mansion” in U Bur Dubai and a big farm in Zaria, Damwanzam Farms Limited (bearing the email address of the ex-director).

It was also learnt that the EFCC was still looking at the business relationship between Salisu and Halal Hotel and Rekiya Hospital in Kaduna.

The EFCC source continued: “As I am talking to you, we have invoked the Interim Assets Forfeiture Clause to seize three duplexes (at N270m each) at Lake View Estate, Jabi which were traced to Salisu.”

Some suspects have reportedly named George, Odili and Bello as some of the beneficiaries of the “arms cash bazaar. We are putting them under watch until there is sufficient ground to either invite or arrest them," he said.

Asked if high-profile suspects will be granted bail, the source said: “Well, we have secured a court order to remand in custody some suspects, including Dasuki, Bafarawa, Yuguda, Dokpesi and 18 others.

“We don’t want to release them in a manner that will jeopardise the ongoing investigation. Some of them have mentioned a few individuals and corporate organisations and we need to conduct due diligence.

“For instance, Dokpesi admitted collecting N2.1billion for publicity. We have asked him to produce evidence of award of the contract, the terms of the contract, the schedule of execution and how the contract was related to arms purchase.

“The media owner also gave some evidence and we have to get in touch with those concerned and organisations to verify his claims. For a while, the suspects will be with us...”