Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Magu
THE Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has begun investigation into
all security transactions that took place under the immediate past
National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).
Investigations revealed that the 27-member task force, set up by the
Acting Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, started a discreet
investigation into all the operations of the former office of the ex-NSA
penultimate week.
It was gathered that the current probe of the EFCC focused not only on
the amount of money spent on the procurement of arms for the military but
also on personnel training outside the country.
A security source said on Monday that the EFCC Task Force was probing the
training of Special Forces in some Eastern European countries.
It was learnt that the operatives were probing how funds, earmarked for
the training of 750 Special Forces in Belarus and other Eastern European
countries, were spent.
The security operatives, who were trained specifically to raise an elite
force against the Boko Haram menace, were drawn from the Nigerian Police,
the Department of State Services, the Nigerian Army, the Air Force and
the Navy.
The Special Forces, who went for the training in September 2014, arrived
in the country in December, 2014 and were immediately deployed in the
operational areas of the North-East in March, 2015.
It was gathered that the select security personnel were trained in
counter- terrorism, counter-insurgency, handling of rocket propelled
grenades, machine guns and other weapons.
The source said one of the officials of the ONSA under the former NSA,
was among some personnel of the office being interrogated in relation to
the ongoing probe into arms procurement under former President Goodluck
Jonathan.
It was learnt that the EFCC Task Force sent out letters to the affected
personnel and commenced arresting them penultimate week.
The source said some of the suspects had been in detention of the EFCC
for nine days.
The source added, “It is true that over 20 people have been arrested in
connection with various security-related contracts awarded during the
period under probe.
“They were picked up on different occasions over a week ago and have
since been detained by the EFCC. Nobody knows why they are being kept for
more than the 48 hours required by law.
“Another thing you must note is that the probe is touching on core
security issues now. One of those detained was the person who handled the
special training for Special Forces in Belarus.
“Those who were trained in Belarus were 750 security personnel selected
from the DSS, the Police, the Army, Navy and the Air Force.”
The source could not give the exact amount involved in the Belarus deal.
Also, the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren,
told our correspondent on the telephone that he had not been briefed on
the issue.
He said, “I cannot comment on this story because I have not received any
briefing on it.”
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