Ja’afaru Isa to face prosecution despite N100m refund
Anenih opens up on PDP, SDP alliance, Falae insists he won’t refund money
Iyobosa Uwugiaren
The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, has explained why former President Goodluck Jonathan has not been arrested in connection with the $2.1 billion misappropriated by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) when he was the president.
Speaking to online publishers monday in Lagos, he said the former president had not been summoned by the commission because no document had been traced to him giving approval for the disbursement of the money for any purpose other than for the purchase of arms, reported online news website, The Eagle Online.
The funds, which were managed by the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has led to the arrest, detention, questioning and arraignment of so many prominent Nigerians, with some wondering why Jonathan, believed to be the principal actor in the unfolding scenario, has not been arrested or summoned for questioning.
Magu, during his meeting with the media chiefs, said all those questioned so far in connection with the money were people who disbursed or collected it for reasons other than the purchase of arms and ammunition.
Magu said: “All approvals by former President Jonathan did not mention that it was for political purposes. All the memos approved by him was for the purchase of arms.”
The bulk of the money disbursed from the $2.1 billion had been traced to financing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and promoting the bid of Jonathan to retain the presidency during the 2015 general election.
The Director of Media and Publicity of the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, confirmed he received N1.7 billion for publicity for the 2015 general election.
The National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Mr. Olisa Metuh, was also given N400 million out of the money, but he has vehemently denied it and has questioned the EFCC and Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice for his continued detention. Metuh has been with the EFCC since last week Tuesday.
Political parties that did not produce presidential candidates for the election were also given N100 million each to support Jonathan.
According to another online news website, Premium Times, the EFCC chairman also denied claims the commission was on a witch-hunt of leaders of the opposition PDP after its continued detention of Metuh and release of Maj-Gen. Ja’afaru Isa (rtd), an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He said while Isa had begun the process of refunding the money in his possession, Metuh has refused to do same.
“From the records, Metuh got over N400 million, he has not said anything because we need the public money to be returned so that it’s going to be used for public good,” Magu said.
“Also Jafaru Isa, what Dasuki gave him was N170 million. He also agreed…of course he has collected that money, he was with us for four to five days and then he made a deposit of N100 million and entered an undertaking to bring the rest. That does not mean we will not prosecute him.
“But Metuh, instead of going for a refund, he has admitted he collected money. Instead of returning the money, he preferred to go on strike,” he said.
The EFCC boss insisted the commission was not selective in its anti-corruption war, noting that only people involved in “some certain action or inaction of corruption” were being invited for questioning.
“Nobody who is not corrupt, who is not involved, is with us,” he said.
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