… How his $2.51 billion arms deal from UAE in 2017 was bursted…
National Security Adviser of Nigeria, Babagana Monguno, may be sacked any moment from now with the levels of corruption allegations hanging over him.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), is said to be investigating Brigadier-General Mohammed Jafaru, the director of Finance in the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, over alleged questionable ownership of multi-billion naira properties.
In the course of over one-year-long investigation, arrests of accomplices and execution of search warrants, the anti-graft agency made startling discoveries of assets linked to the general.
The ownership of an oil depot, several filling stations, shopping plazas, mansions, plots in choice areas, among other assets in key cities were all linked to Mr Jafaru.
Investigations showed that he allegedly acquired the properties within the last five years.
Sources familiar with the case revealed that the General’s children own 90 percent of shares of Atlasfield Group of Companies and its subsidiaries, which include Gee-Links Beverages & Industries Ltd and other companies belonging to him and his family.
The general, according to the findings, also jointly owns Gajere Multiple Links Nigeria Limited with his three children Khalid Mohammed, Anas Mohammed and Sani Mohammed.
Sources said at least 17 official accounts are linked to Mr Jafaru’s Bank Verification Number, BVN.
The EFCC has obtained an interim forfeiture order in respect of at least eight properties linked to the military officer.
Granting an ex parte application for interim forfeiture of the assets and property by the EFCC made on March 9, Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo ordered the publication of the interim forfeiture of the assets and invited people “who may have interest in the assets and properties listed in the schedule to show cause, within 14 days of such publication, why a final order of forfeiture to the Federal Government of Nigeria of the said assets and properties should not be made.”
The assets traced to the proxies and associates of the General include: House on Plot 7, God’s Own Estate, Road 1, Wamna District, Abuja; a fencer plot at No 1 Jubril Aminu Crescent, Katampe Extension, Abuja; plot at Kubwa Express, Directly opposite Abuja Model City Gate, Abuja; and a house on Block SD 22 House 2, Road 5, Kabusa Garden Estate, Abuja.
Others are: No 15, 21 Crescent, 2nd Avenue, Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja; No 3 Liverpool Close, Sun City Estate, Abuja; No 52 Mainstreet, Sun City Estate, Abuja; and No 25 Osaka Street, Sun City Estate, Abuja.
Aside these mind boggling findings, In August 2017, Osinbajo approved N50 billion for equipment supply to Operation Lafiya Dole.
Monguno used the opportunity to re-present the $2.51 billion memo he had earlier sent to Buhari, raising his request to $2.6 billion to include the new approval for Lafiya Dole.
He said Buhari had already approved the sum but payment was not made because of his sickness and subsequent medical leave, but he met a brick-wall as Osinbajo insisted that no third parties should be involved in the arms purchase.
Buhari, had, on a visit to the UAE in 2016, provisionally agreed with the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, that Nigeria would buy arms from the country.
However, it was the International Golden Group, a privately owned company, that entered the picture when the deal was to be struck.
According to a source in the office of the NSA, Buhari restated his directive that third parties or commission agents should not be involved in the purchase of arms.
Buhari took ill thereafter and went on medical leave to London, with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo stepping in as acting president.
Osinbajo set up an armed forces and police emergency procurement committee (APEPC) with the need to support military operations in the north-east, Lafiya Dole, topping the agenda and Monguno resurfaces to present such budget wrecking proposal.
In 2019, Adamu requested N32 billion to boost police operations.
With the $2.51 billion IGG proposal dead in the water, sources sais, Monguno felt undermined by Kyari in the scheme of things but kept his cool.
However, Monguno renewed his face-off with Kyari after the 2019 general election which returned Buhari to office.
On May 27, 2019, Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-general of police, made a request to the NSA for the purchase of equipment, including arms and trucks, to boost the force’s operations.
He put the total cost at N32 billion.
In his submission, Monguno again brought in IGG, the Abu Dhabi-based group, as suppliers and raised the request to N46 billion — a mark-up of about N14 billion.
Kyari, again, raised objections against the involvement of IGG — which was to supply even Hilux trucks, according to the proposal sent by Monguno.
Hilux trucks are manufactured in Japan and can be sourced directly from the manufacturers or through their agents in Nigeria.
Kyari argued that it was better for Nigeria to buy the trucks directly from the manufacturers or enter an agreement with local plants such as Innosons.
Based on another memo from Kyari in which he raised objections to third-party involvement as well as the significant increase in the cost, Buhari directed that the purchase should be handled by the ministry of police affair.
Since he could not benefit from those deals, he therefore decided to implicate and frustrate Nigeria service chiefs with stories of embezzlement.
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