Adariku Michael, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes
Commission (EFCC), yesterday explained to an FCT High Court in Maitama
how N1.450 billion from the office of the National Security Adviser
(ONSA) was diverted through a company belonging to a former General
Manager at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu
Babakusa.
According to SaharaReporters, Michael, who was the investigating
police officer in the case, said the money allegedly meant for
organizing national prayers for Nigeria was transferred in three
tranches to the accounts of Acacia Holdings Limited with Ecobank and
United Bank of Africa (UBA).
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), the
witness said the sum of N650 million was transferred from ONSA’s Zenith
Bank account to Acacia Holdings account with Ecobank on April 17, 2015.
He said after reviewing the account statement of the company, it
was discovered that N650 million was transferred to various individuals
and companies contrary to the purpose it was disbursed.
Among others, the witness said on April 20, 2015, a sum of
N150million was transferred to the account of Babakusa, and that on
April 22, another sum of N70million was transferred to one Jubril
Abdullahi for purposes not stated.
The witness added that on the same April 22 N50million was
forwarded to the account of Babakusa while between May 4 and 6, 2015,
another transfer of N150million was effected to a company, Medical
Plastics Ltd found to be owned by the same Babakusa and his wife, Hauwa
who is said to own 1.8 million shares in the company.
On 23/4/2015, N10.5million was transferred to Araucaria Farms Ltd;
and N40 million was transferred to the Stanbic IBTC bank’s account of
one Saleh Ibrahim; while N20 million was transferred to E.C. Associates
Nig. Ltd.
He said N1.5 million was transferred to the First Bank account of
Babakusa’s wife, Hauwa; while ICICE Iftar Company and ICICE Mosque
Support (owned by Babakusa) both with Jaiz Bank received N1.5 million
each on 22/06/2015.
The witness further revealed that an analysis of the account of
Acacia Holdings with UBA revealed that N200 million and N600 million
were transferred to the account from ONSA’s account with Zenith Bank on
October 9, 2014 and April 17, 2015.
While in the process of explaining how the sums were transferred to
various individuals and companies, counsel to Acacia Holdings, Dr
Biodun Layonu (SAN) raised an objection to the continuation of the
testimony on the ground that the documents relating to the transactions
were not clear.
He said most of the figures being quoted by the witness had been blanked out in the document in his possession.
The trial judge, Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, acknowledged the
objection and directed that the prosecution should make clearer copies
available to the defendants before the next adjourned date. He
thereafter adjourned the trial to December 13 and 14, 2016.
Dasuki, Babakusa and Acacia Holdings are the 1st, 3rd and 4th
defendants in this trial of alleged diversion of over N19 billion
security votes, with a former Director of Finance and Administration at
ONSA, Shuaibu Salisu and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited the other
defendants.