I implicated no one in my statement, says Dasuki

Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), has said that contrary to speculations, he did not make statements implicating anyone or group in the allegations of arms purchase fraud brought against him by the federal government.

Dasuki is accused of awarding fictitious arms contracts to the tune of N300 billion, and TheCable earlier reported how he received extra-budgetary allocation of $2.1 billion from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) within nine months.

His arrest on Tuesday was followed by the arrest of Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications, and Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto state, prompting speculations that the former NSA implicated the duo.

But speaking through his lawyer, Mr. Ahmed Raji, a senior advocate, Dasuki denied making implicating an statement or naming anyone to EFCC.

“I was with Dasuki yesterday and wish to make categorical statement that my client never made any statement of such nature or naming anybody or group in any statement,” PRNigeria quoted Raji as saying.

“Quote me anywhere, Dasuki has not done anything like that. It is absolutely untrue. It is the figment of the imagination of the authors aimed at creating falsehood for reasons best known to them and Nigerians shou‎ld disregard them.

“They are just out to scandalise the man, bring his image and character into disrepute so that his friends and well wishers can run away from him. They want him deserted and that will fail.”

PRNigeria also said that not all funds in office of the national security adviser (ONSA) are related to arm procurement as being alleged.

“The ONSA manages several funds for national security and other special interventions which are not related to Boko Haram or arm procurement,” it said.

“They include recurrent expenditures and miscellaneous expenses under Special Service Office (SSO) to fund special projects and programmes, including capacity building, refreshment, travelling, office maintenance, crisis communication and supports to special causes and Non-Governmental Organisations.

“Most of the figures being bandied were taken from the special funds meant for the purposes that they were spent and not on the so-called arm-deal. All over the world, there are lots of expenditures of national security and sensitive matters that are not ridiculed in the Press.”

Dasuki is back in court on Tuesday, when hearing will continue on the latest attempt of the federal government to revoke his earlier-granted bail and consequently block his plans to travel abroad for “medical treatment”.