The Presidency has directed the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to commence the prosecution of a former Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Adesola Amosu, over his indictment by the panel probing the $2.9 billion arms procurement deal. This is as New Telegraph gathered from highly placed sources, that the Presidency has granted one-month extension to the panel to enable it complete its assignment.
President Muhammadu Buhari had, in August, constituted a 13-man panel to investigate arms procurement deals between 2007 and 2015. New Telegraph gathered that the panel, in its interim report, indicted the former CAS, who was said to have been directly involved in the award of some contracts, as well as procurement of some hardware for the Nigerian Air Force (NAF). The probe panel had earlier indicted former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), who had been placed under house arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS).
According to one of the sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity: “I can tell you unequivocally that the panel probing some past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Service Chiefs, NSAs, and Ministers of Defence, has made a recommendation for the EFCC to arrest and prosecute the former Chief of Air Staff.
“He was indicted based on award of contracts and procurements of Air Force equipment, many of which, they believe, failed the due process needed for such. “The panel, from my knowledge, forwarded its findings alongside the recommendation to the EFCC, to enable the anti-graft agency swing into action immediately.”
The contracts, according to the Presidency, were said to be for the purchase of four Alpha Jets, 12 helicopters, bombs and ammunition which were not executed and the equipment were never supplied to the Nigerian Air Force, neither are they in its inventory. In line with the directive by President Buhari, the NSA, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd), had inaugurated the 13-man panel, with the following membership: AVM J.O.N. Ode (rtd.) – President; R/ Adm J.A. Aikhomu (rtd.), R/Adm E. Ogbor (rtd.), Brig Gen L. Adekagun (rtd.), Brig Gen M. Aminu- Kano (rtd.), Brig.-Gen. N. Rimtip (rtd.), Cdre T.D. Ikoli, and Air Cdre U. Mohammed (rtd.). Others are: Air Cdre I. Shafi’i, Col A.A. Ariyibi, Gp Capt C.A. Oriaku (rtd.), Mr. Ibrahim Magu (now Chairman of the EFCC), and Brig.-Gen Y.I. Shalangwa, who serves as secretary. By its mandate, the panel is expected to probe the following Chiefs of Defence Staff (CDS): the late Lt.-Gen. Andrew Azazi (2007-2008), Air Chief Marshal Paul Dike (2008-2010), Air Chief Marshal Oluseyi Petinrin (2010- 2012), Admiral Ola Sa’ad Ibrahim (2012- 2014), and Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh (2014- 2015). The former COAS are: late Lt.-Gen. Luka Yusuf (2007-2008), Lt.- Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau (2008- 2010), Lt.-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika (2010-2014), and Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah (January 2014- July 2015). For former Chiefs of Naval Staff, we have: Vice Admiral GT Adekeye (2005-2008), Vice Admiral II Ibrahim (2008-2010), Vice Admiral OS Ibrahim (2010-2012), Vice Admiral Dele Ezeoba (2012-2013), and Vice Admiral Usman Jibrin (2013- 2015).
Former Chiefs of Air Force, whose tenures are being investigated are: Air Marshal Paul Dike (2006-2008), Air Marshal Oluseyi Petirin (2008- 2010), Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar (2010-2012), Air Marshal Alex Badeh (2012-2014), and Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (2014- 2015). Former NSAs under this category are: Lt-Gen. Aliyu Gusau, the late Gen. Azazi, Lt-Gen. Sarki Mukhtar, and Col. Dasuki.
