Col.
Ojogbane Adegbe
Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s detained
ex-Aide-de-Camp (ADC) Col. Ojogbane Adegbe has passed the buck on the
N10billion gift for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) delegates.
He has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC) to ask Dr. Jonathan’s former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs,
Waripamowei Dudafa to account for the cash, a source said yesterday.
The ADC said when the suitcases containing the cash were
brought as messages for the President, he merely handed them over to Dudafa.
He said military law forbids him from opening any message
meant for the President, unless otherwise directed.
Also, one of the Army officers being questioned over the
$2.1 billion arms purchase scandal, Col. N. Ashinze , the former Special
Military Assistant to the ex-NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), is stranded as he
could not resume in his new posting as the nation’s Military Attache to the
Nigerian Embassy in Germany.
Although Col. Ashinze has been released from EFCC custody
and restricted to the Officers Mess, there was anxiety yesterday that he
might be dropped from the foreign mission.
Also yesterday, it was learnt that the embattled ex-Chief of
Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has been linked with the ongoing
probe of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA). Air
Chief Marshal Badeh was moved to Lagos last week as part of the investigation
of NIMASA.
The EFCC is believed to be tidying up some loose ends in its
investigation of military officers suspected to have been involved in the $2.1b
phoney arms deals.
The N10billion withdrawn from the oil block account at the
Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for PDP delegates to its nomination convention
has been a knotty issue because it was based on the instruction of the former
President, according to a source close to the investigation.
“He said as ADC, the
military law forbids him from opening any message meant for the President,
unless directed by the C-I-C.
“So, it is only the SA Domestic Affairs, who has sneaked out
of the country, who will need to provide the list of beneficiaries. This is the
status of the case.
“If Dudafa does not show up, we may declare him wanted in
connection with the N10billion cash or seek the court’s permission to attach
his property.
“We are exploring mutual legal assistance with some
countries to fish out Dudafa wherever he is hiding abroad.”
Col. Dasuki said he handed over the N10billion given to the
delegates to Dudafa and the ADC.
The ex-NSA opened up in his Statement of
Witness/Accused Person which has been filed in the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory(FCT)
He said: “That I am aware in November, I cannot remember the
exact date. My office requested the CBN to exchange N10billion from the account
of the Office of the National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN.
“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination
convention for the PDP presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to
Hon. Dudafa(SSAP Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction
of the President.”
On Col. Ashinze, a source said: “So far, nothing has been
found against the said officer or else EFCC would still be keeping him.
“He is stranded at the Officers Mess. We don’t know whether
or not the EFCC will use him as a witness.”
On Air Chief Marshal Badeh, the source said: “We moved him
to Lagos in connection with the ongoing probe of the Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency(NIMASA) during the tenure of the former
Director- General, Dr. Patrick Ziadeke Akpobolokemi.
“You know that a High Court has ordered the arrest and
seizure of assets of a former Niger Delta Militant, Government
Tompolo. We are already searching for the suspect.
“The outcome of the investigation in Lagos will determine
whether or not Chief Marshal Badeh will be part of the trial of Akpobolokemi
and Tompolo.”
