About 13 former service chiefs and senior military officers are presently facing corruption charges to the tune of N102 billion before various courts in Abuja and Lagos.
Already, one of the former service chiefs has forfeited N1.82 billion to the Federal Government.
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Top among the Generals being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged corruption are the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd); ex-Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; ex-Chiefs of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin and Admiral Dele Ezeoba; former Chiefs of Air Staff, Air Marshal Dikko Umar and Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
Others on trial are the Chief of Administration, AVM A.M Mamu; a former Director of Procurement, Defence Headquarters, AVM O.T Oguntoyinbo; Air Officer Tactical Command, Makurdi, AVM R.A Ojuawo and former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting in NAF, AVM J.B Adigun.
Also on trial is a former chairman, Presidential Implementation on Committee on Maritime Safety (PICOMMS), AVM Saliu Atawodi and a former Director of Armament with the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), AVM John Adeniyi Kayode-Beckley and a former aide to Dasuki, Col. Nicholas Ashinze.
Sambo Dasuki
Dasuki is standing trial before three different courts. The first charge was filed before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja where Dasuki was charged with diverting $2.1 billion.
Second, the EFCC preferred another 19-count charge against Dasuki and four others before an Abuja High Court for alleged diversion of another N32 billion meant for arms procurement.
Dasuki’s co-accused persons are a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, and a former General Manager, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa.
The third charge was filed before another Abuja High Court, wherein the anti-graft agency slammed another 22-count charge bothering on alleged diversion of N13 billion meant for arms procurement.
The former NSA had, since, been arraigned before the three courts. The Abuja High Court later consolidated the two charges against Dasuki.
Badeh in the dock
Badeh, who was a former Chief of Defence Staff, is standing trial on a 10-count charge bordering on money laundering, criminal breach of trust and corruption to the tune of N3.97 billion belonging to the Nigerian Air Force before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
Badeh pleaded not guilty to the charge and was consequently admitted to bail, first under stringent condition. The condition for bail was later reviewed due to his inability to meet it.
Trial had since started as the prosecution, the EFCC, has called witnesses. The witnesses had, in turn, explained to the trial judge, Justice Abang Okon, how Badeh collected the said money and expended it on the purchase of property in highbrow area of Abuja.
Badeh was said to have used dollar equivalent of the sum of N1.4 billion from the NAF accounts to purchase a mansion situated at No. 6, Ogun River Street, off Danube Street, Maitama, Abuja.
Umar Dikko
Another Air Chief standing trial over corruption related charges is a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Umar Dikko, who was accused of diverting about N4.86 billion belonging to NAF to purchase property for himself.
Diko, who was arraigned before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, however, pleaded not guilty when the seven-count charge bothering on diversion of funds slammed on him by EFCC was read to him.
In the charge, Dikko was alleged to have, while being the Chief of Air Staff between September 2010 and 2012, converted the United States dollar equivalent of the aggregate sum of N4,864,630,000 removed from the account of NAF.
Dikko was also alleged to have used N700 million removed from NAF account to purchase a property at No 14, Vistula Close, off Panama Street, Maitama; accused of using another N860 million removed from NAF account to buy a property at Plot No. 1853, Deng Xiao Ping Street, off Mahathir Mohammed Street, Asokoro Extension, Abuja; accused of taking N500 million from the account of NAF to purchase a four-bedroom duplex with boys’ quarters at Road 3b, Street 2, Mabushi Ministers Hill, Abuja; accused of removing N250 million from NAF account to buy a property at No 14, Audu Bako Way, GRA, Kano.
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Amosu, Adigun and Olugbenga
The anti-graft agency is prosecuting a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (rtd), Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, Air Commodore Gbadebo Olugbenga and eight companies before Justice Mohammed Idris of the Federal High Court, Lagos over an alleged N22.8 billion fraud.
The companies involved are: Delfina Oil and Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil and Gas Ltd, Hebron Housing and Properties Company Ltd, Trapezites BDC, Fonds and Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil and Gas Ltd, Timsegg Investment Ltd and Solomon Health Care Ltd.
They were arraigned by the EFCC before the court on June 29, 2016 on a 26-count charge of stealing and concealing of proceeds of crime.
Upon their arraignment, the accused persons were granted bail by the court in the sum of N500 million with two sureties in like sum.
Further hearing in the matter has been adjourned to June 28.
Atewe
Also in the dock is a former commander of the Joint Task Force, Operation Pulo Shield in the Niger Delta, Major General Emmanuel Atewe and three others.
Atewe was, on June 3, 2016, arraigned before Justice Saliu Saidu of a Federal High Court in Lagos on an 11-count charge bordering on conspiracy, fraud, stealing and fraudulent conversion of N19.7 billion to personal use.
Atewe was arraigned alongside the immediate past Director General of the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Patrick Akpobolokemi, Kime Engozu and Josephine Otuaga.
The anti-graft agency, in the charge marked, FHC/L/C/217C/16, alleged that the former JTF Commander and other accused persons had, between 2014 and 2015, in Lagos, used six companies to commit the alleged acts.
Further hearing in the trial has been fixed for September 20.
Ex-Naval Chiefs
Former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin, is also being prosecuted at the FCT High Court over alleged N600 million fraud.
Jibrin is facing trial alongside Rear Admiral Bala Mshelia(rtd), Rear Admiral Shehu Ahmadu (rtd) and Habor Bay International Limited on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy.
The naval chiefs, whilst in office, allegedly bought a house worth N600 million from the account of Naval Engineering Services without budgetary provision.
A former Naval Chief, Dele Ezeoba, is another ranking security chief standing corruption trial before the Federal High Court, Lagos.
The trial judge, Justice Muslim Sule Hassan had, however, on April 6, 2017, ordered the permanent forfeiture of the said sum of N1.82 billion.
Atawodi
In the league of Generals in the dock is a former Chairman, Presidential Implementation Committee on Maritime Safety (PICOMMS), Air Vice Marshal Saliu Atawodi (rtd).
Atawodi was arraigned by the EFCC on a three-count charge bordering on conspiracy, abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty when the charge was read to him.
Atawodi allegedly defrauded the government to the tune of over N600 million through suspicious contracts to procure military boats.
The trial is ongoing.
Ojuawo
Also in the dock is a former Air Officer in charge of Tactical Air Command, Makurdi, Air Vice Marshal Rufus Ojuawo.
Ojuawo was arraigned before an Abuja High Court on a two-count charge of allegedly receiving a gift of N40 million and a car valued at N29.2 million from a contractor with NAF, Mr. Hima Aboubakar of Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux Nig. Ltd.
Until his arrest by the EFCC at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, AVM Ojuawo, was Air Officer Commanding, the Tactical Air Command, NAF, Makurdi.
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Kayode-Beckly, Mamu
Air Vice Marshal John Adeniyi Kayode-Beckly is being tried over a one-count charge of bribery.
Beckley, who is the Director of Armament with NAF, allegedly collected the sum of N10 million as gratification from a contractor, one Mr. Hima Abubakar, of Societe D’Equipments Internationaux Nig. Ltd.
The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and prayed the court to admit him to bail.
Also in the dock is a former Air Officer Training Command and a member of the Committee for Procurement, Ministry of Defence, Air Vice Marshal Alkali Mohammed Mamu.
The Federal Government is prosecuting Mamu on a three-count charge bordering on bribery to the tune of N5.9 million.
Mamu, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge and consequently prayed the court to admit him to bail.
AVM Mamu allegedly collected a cash gift in the sum of N5.9 million for the purchase of a Range Rover Evoque, $300,000 and two vehicles (Ford Expedition SUV and Jaguar XF Saloon) valued at N15 million and N12 million respectively from Societe D’ Equipments Internationaux Nigeria Limited, a contractor with the Nigerian Air Force.
AVM Oguntoyinbo
Air Vice Marshall Olutayo Tade Oguntoyinbo is another ranking officer facing corruption charge before an Abuja High Court on one-count charge of bribery to the tune of N166 million.
Oguntoyinbo, while being the Chief of Training and Operations of the Nigerian Air Force, allegedly collected the said sum as gratification from a contractor with the NAF.
Ashinze
Col. Nicholas Ashinze was an aide to Dasuki.
The Federal Government has arraigned Ashinze, alongside three others, before Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja on a 13-count charge of corruption and money laundering to the tune of N3.1 billion.
Ashinze and his co-accused were arraigned alongside five companies accused of allegedly diverting huge sums from the office of the former NSA.
By New Telegraph
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