Immediate past president, Goodluck Jonathan, on
Monday said it was impossible for the National Security Adviser (NSA) during
his administration, Sambo Dasuki, to have stolen $2.2 billion as claimed by the
Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC).
Mr. Dasuki, who has been in detention since
December 1, 2015, was arrested by security agency in an early morning raid on
the orders of President Muhammadu Buhari for the alleged misappropriation of
$2.2 billion meant to purchase equipment for the Nigerian military in its
battle against Islamist group, Boko Haram.
A Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja last
Friday granted the application of the EFCC to consolidate the two separate
cases against the former army Colonel.
A statement by the anti-graft commission said Mr.
Dasuki will be re-arraigned on November 16.
Mr. Jonathan, who was speaking at the famous Oxford
Union, Oxford United Kingdom, on the subject of promoting youth
entrepreneurship, argued that it was “not just possible” for Mr Dasuki to steal
$2.2 billion after his administration procured several equipment for the
country’s military.
“They said the National Security Adviser stole
$2.2billion. I don’t believe somebody can just steal $2.2 billion. We bought
warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army and so on
and so forth and you are still saying 2.2 billion, so where did we get the
money to buy all those things?” he asked while responding to a question about
the alleged missing arms procurement fund now referred to a Dasukigate by the
Nigerian media.
While admitting that corruption was an issue during
his administration, the former president said that some of the allegations have
been “exaggerated”.
“Yes, there were some issues; yes, there are still
corruption issues; but some of it were blown, I’d say exaggerated, and they
give a very bad impression about our nation. You cannot say the national
security adviser stole $2.2billion. It is not just possible,” he said.
He however, said that as
some of the corruption cases are still in court, he would rather allow the
legal processes to reveal the facts of the matter and that he doesn’t want to
appear as challenging the incumbent government.
“One thing about the issue
of corruption is that these matter are in court, let’s allow some of these
processes to end. Lately some judges’ (homes) were also invaded. There are so
many things involved and we have to follow up these matters to conclusion
before we know the fact.
“I don’t want to be seen as
a former president challenging what the sitting government is doing so I have
decided to keep quiet for the court to look into them,” he said.
He said that allegations of
corruption were not unique to his administration.
He explained that
governments have been overthrown in the past because they were accused of being
corrupt only for the new administration itself be pushed out of power by
another junta touting the anti-corruption mantra.
“You will see that it has
become a major topic whenever there is a change of government,” he said.
He further argued that
corruption is a global problem but the perception of corruption is greater in
Nigeria due to the Nigerian media obsession with reporting on corruption.
“I am not saying there is
no corruption in Nigeria, there is corruption. If you look at corruption there
is almost no country that is free, the degree varies, the perception varies.
“Transparency International
talks about the way corruption is being perceived in different economies, why
do we talk about the way corruption is being perceived, it depends on the issue
raised in the media every day,” he said.
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