#Dasukigate: N17.5b traced to wives of Airforce chiefs

Looks like some couples would be spending this year’s Valentines in Kuje prison. New reports emerging from the unending $2.1 arms deal saga say that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has discovered N17.5 billion in the accounts of wives of three Airforce chiefs. The monies were said have been scattered like seeds in various banks accounts.

Some indicted serving and retired military officers were also kind enough to use their children’s accounts in which we learn huge amount of money was found. A source familiar with the investigation reportedly said that N13 billion was traced to the banks’ accounts of a wife of a retired Air Vice Marshal who held strategic position in the Nigeria Air Force (NAF).

In the bank accounts of another wife of a retired service chief, N3 billion was found, while N1.5 billion was found in the bank accounts of a wife of a serving senior officer. These officers handled the finance, budget and accounts of NAF.

“You can’t believe the discoveries we have made so far. We have traced monies to accounts of wives of three air force officers. So far, in the accounts of the wife of one of the officers indicted in the arms deal, N13 billion was found in different banks. In another instance, N3 billion was found in the accounts of a wife of a senior air force officer. Also, in another account, N1.5 billion was found in the accounts of a wife of an Air Commodore who is not among the list of indicted military officers.”

“The officers have been confronted with the bank statements and they have owned up to the ownership of the monies. There is no way they could deny ownership of the monies because of the sources and transactions. The bank statements were enough proofs,” a source familiar with the investigation was quoted to have said.

The source added that arrangements have been made for the officers “to sign off the N17.5 billion to government.” According to him, there have been series of meetings between EFCC operatives and bank officials with the indicted officers in attendance wherein they have agreed to give the money to the Federal Government.

“The indicted officers confessed that the monies are proceeds from arms procurement, contract awards and other deals. They have agreed to part with the money. But that is not the end of the matter. Their trial will still go ahead,” the source concluded.