Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has recovered N900m from Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa, a former Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
A reliable source at the EFCC told our correspondent on Sunday that the money was found in one of Dudafa’s accounts, which was immediately frozen.
The source said, “Dudafa told us that he had no money; so, we began to investigate his accounts. We then found N900m that was hidden in one of his accounts through the connivance of his account officer.
“Dudafa initially denied owning the account but when he was confronted with evidence, he had no choice but to admit. Some people, who had paid money into the account based on Dudafa’s instructions, even came forward to say that the account indeed belonged to Dudafa. The N900m will be used as evidence against him in court.”
Dudafa, who was a close aide to and a kinsman of Jonathan, was arrested on April 18 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
The former presidential aide, alongside Jonathan’s ex Aide-de-Camp, Col. Ojogbane Adegbe, was accused of giving N10bn to delegates at the presidential primary of the Peoples Democratic Party in December 2014, in which Jonathan was the only candidate.
The money was allegedly diverted by the Office of the National Security Adviser from a Signature Bonus Account in the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The N10bn is believed to have been diverted from oil receipts as follows: $5m (November 14, 2014); $47m (November 27, 2014); €4m (December 3, 2014) and €1.6m (December 24, 2014).
While Adegbe was arrested but later released, Dudafa was said to have fled to either Dubai or a Caribbean country where he stayed for several months.
However, impeccable sources at the EFCC told our correspondent that Dudafa was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services upon arrival at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos.
In his Statement of Witness/Accused Person, which had been filed at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, embattled former NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), had said the N10bn was given to Ojogbane and Dudafa.
Dasuki had said, “That I am aware in November, I cannot remember the exact date, my office requested the CBN to exchange N10bn from the account of the Office of the National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged and $47m and some Euros, which I cannot remember the exact amount, were delivered at my residence.
“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.”
Copyright PUNCH.
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