Newspaper Review: Dasukigate-New revelations as EFCC make more arrests.
29th Jan. 2016
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has arrested more public officials indicted in the $2.1 billion arms procurement saga popularly known as Dasukigate.
Pix: Dasuki
Former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosu, was on Wednesday January 28 interrogated by EFCC operatives on his role in the procurement scandal.
An EFCC source disclosed that Air Marshal Amosu was later joined by some principal staff officers and directors at the headquarters of the Nigerian Air Force who served in his administration.
Vanguard reports that Amosu indicted in the N29 billion arms probe was detained because all issues pertaining to his alleged indictment were not concluded.
The Punch’s version of the report states that Amosu was interrogated on the fraud that trails the 10 contracts of the Nigeria Air Force between 2014 and 2015, totalling $930.5m.
Another source disclosed that Amosu was also quizzed on the procurement of two used Mi-24V helicopters instead of the recommended Mi-35M series at the cost of $136.9m.
Investigations revealed that cost of the helicopters were inflated and not operationally air worthy at the time of delivery.
According to The Punch, a brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about $30m.
After 24 days in detention, national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, yesterday night, fulfilled his bail conditions to regain temporary freedom, Daily Sun reports.
Justice Okon Abang granted him bail on January 19, 2016 in the sum of N400 million with two sureties in like sum.
Meanwhile, former president Goodluck Jonathan has reacted to Buhari’s government war against Boko Haram.
Jonathan said Buhari is prosecuting the war with arms procured by his administration.
On the devaluation of the Naira, President Muhammadu Buhari has finally taken a stand as regards the call for the devaluation of the naira.
The president said that devaluation of the Naira would not bring any benefit to the citizens.
According to Guardian, Buhari made this known on Wednesday in Nairobi, Kenya at an interactive meeting with Nigerians resident in that country.
”A statement yesterday by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, Buhari maintained that while export-driven economies could benefit from the devaluation of their currencies, move would only result in further inflation and hardship for the poor and the middle class in Nigeria’s import-dependent economy,” Guardian report states.
Buhari insisted that the move would bring further hardship on the poor.
In another development, former president Olusegun Obasanjo while reacting to the state of the nation wrote the National Assembly over lawmakers’ reckless spending and insensitivity to the country’s economic downturn.
The Nation reports that Obasanjo’s letter on Thursday, January 28 raised dusts as the spokesperson of the House of Representatives described his correspondence as ”distraction”.
Share: