The Presidency and the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), have begun negotiations over a possible out-of-court settlement in the $2 billion arms procurement scandal.
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It was learnt that the negotiation is at the instance of high level personalities, including retired Generals, with the assurance to get the beneficiaries return the security fund to government’s coffers.
A source in the know said the peace initiative was as a result of damning evidence that indicted prominent Nigerians and officials of the Muhammad Buhari administration who were beneficiaries of the security fund.
“Discussions are going on between the parties. The revelation that has come out so far are just a tip of the iceberg.
“If Dasuki is allowed to release documents about the beneficiaries of arms deal and security fund, the country will be in crisis,” the source said.
Dasuki has threatened to open up on the arms deal. “This is why he demanded for an open trial,” the source said.
“With open trial, the whole world would know that so many people were involved in the arms deal.”
A source close to Dasuki said the former NSA has compiled the list of beneficiaries of the fund with documentary evidence including bank transactions, receipts, video and audio recordings of the transaction before the talks.
“The gravity of the evidence and those involved in the arms deal necessitated the peace moves. The discussion is to douse the tension because if Dasuki opens up, the Buhari presidency would be embarrassed by the revelations,” he said.
It was learnt that those coordinating the negotiation met with President Buhari to see how the matter could be resolved without escalating the tension already generated with the arms procurement scandal. One of the terms of agreement, according to the source, is that Dasuki should be granted bail.
The ex-NSA was granted bail last week, though he is still in the custody of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
“The negotiation is what we expected former President Goodluck Jonathan to have done. We learnt that he is also reaching out to the president,” the source said.
A source in the Presidency said that Buhari had told Jonathan about his findings regarding the expenditure of the security fund before Dasuki’s arrest. Jonathan was said to have given Buhari a go ahead about the probe. The former president reportedly told his former aides to get their record right ahead of the probe.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, could not confirm the ongoing negotiation. “I don’t have the information now,” he said last night.
It was also learnt that some prominent Nigerians and retired military officers have made returns to government.
The returns, according to sources, are the amount they received from the office of the NSA. Some of the retired military officers have quietly returned proceeds from the arms deal.
“I can confirm to you that some people have quietly returned money to the government or the institutions they once served,” he said.
Former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, erstwhile Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Attahiru Bafarawa and others are facing trial along with Dasuki over the $2 billion arms procurement scandal.
Yuguda has revealed that he gave N100 million to some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), including Chief Bode George, Yerima Abdullahi, former Governors Peter Odili and Jim Nwobodo, for the 2015 elections.
A source close to one of the beneficiaries of the arms fund said he had documentary evidence of how he shared the money given to him.
“This thing cuts across parties. I can tell you that what was given to my principal was meant for some influential Nigerians. From what our oga got, a former governor who contested in the March/April general elections on the platform of another party was a beneficiary of the fund.
“Also, a former presidential candidate, who is not a member of the PDP, was also given part of the money for mobilisation. Even, some prominent leaders across the North-South divide benefitted from the fund,” the source said.
He said while money was transferred to the accounts of the beneficiaries, others who collected cash signed for what they got.
Meanwhile, Dasuki will today know whether he will go back home or continually be remanded in the custody of the EFCC.
Justice Peter Affen of an Abuja High Court will deliver ruling in the bail application brought by Dasuki and five others who were last week arraigned on a 22-count charge bothering on fraudulent diversion of public fund amounting to N19.4 billion. Arraigned alongside Dasuki in the new charge are Bafarawa and Yuguda.
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