$2.1bn arms PROBE: Ex- DMI, Gen Wiwa arrested
In continuation of investigations into the disbursement of the $2.1 billion
arms fund, another serving officer and former Director of Military
Intelligence, Major General Wiwa, has been arrested.
EFCC operatives EFCC operatives This came as wife of the former Chief of Air
Staff, Mrs. Lara Amosu, who was detained overnight by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has been freed. General Wiwa, younger
brother to late Ken Saro-Wiwa, the late Ogoni rights activists’ who was
executed by the Abacha’s government in connection with the Ogoni crises of the
1990’s, was the Deputy Commandant at the Armed Forces Resettlement Centre,
Oshodi, before his arrest.
Security sources disclosed that the senior officer, who is currently being
detained at one of the major military barracks in Abuja, might have been
arrested because of the sensitive positions he held in service. General Wiwa
was at several times, Military Assistant to late General Owoye Azazi when he
served as Chief of Defence Staff. He was Principal Staff Officer, PGSO, at the
office of the National Security Adviser when Azazi served as NSA. He continued
in the position as PGSO when Col Sambo Dasuki was NSA and was later appointed
Director of Military Intelligence when Lt. General Azubuike Ihejirika became
the Chief of Army staff.
When Lt. General Kenneth Minimah assumed office as the Chief of Army Staff, he
retained Wiwa as DMI. Sources further disclosed that General Wiwa could be the
key to unraveling a lot of unclear deals involving some military and arms
contractors as well as the roles of some service chiefs, who may be invited in
future as investigation continues. Last Friday, Army authorities confirmed
that 12 Army officers, including serving and retired, had been sent to the
EFCC for investigation.
The Army also said that at the end of the commission’s investigations, those
found culpable would be tried by a military Court Martial. A statement signed
by Col Sani Usman, Acting Director, Army Public Relations, had said: “The
Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public that 12 Army officers have been sent
to the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC), for
investigation.
“This comprised of three serving Major Generals, and one retired, three
Brigadier Generals, four Colonels and one Lieutenant Colonel. “However, it
should be noted that at the end of the Commission’s investigations those found
culpable will be tried by a military Court Martial. Col Usman, did not state
in specific term what the officers were being investigated for. However, wife
of the former Chief of Air Staff, Mrs. Lara Amosu, who was detained overnight
by the EFCC, has been freed.
Vanguard gathered that Amosu was detained following certain accounts related
to her husband, who is being investigated in connection with the $2.1 billion
arms fund traced to her. Although the exact figure and details of the accounts
were not made public, EFCC interrogated her for hours, last week. But a source
close to the investigation, confirmed to Vanguard last night that Mrs. Amosu
had been released on bail.
“She is not in our custody, having been granted administrative bail. She will
be asked to report back whenever we need her for further investigation,” the
source said. A top source said the amount of money recovered from the former
Air chief’s house in Lagos had been taken and kept as exhibit to be used when
the trial of those involved in the arms scandal begins.
There were earlier reports that the anti-graft agency had discovered a
whopping sum of N17.5 billion in the accounts of wives of three airforce
chiefs. Meanwhile, Citizens’ Initiative for Security Awareness (CISA), a civil
society group engaged in creating and spreading security awareness among
Nigerians, has cautioned the media against sensational stories as it concerned
investigations of some retired and serving military officers allegedly
indicted in the ongoing corruption probes.
A statement signed by Aliyu Dogo, Head of Publicity and Mobilization CISA,
said: “We frown on the unconscionable concoction of stories and unrelated
pictures to tar certain officers in the media. ‘’Take for instance the story
making rounds that $1m dollars was found in drums or in soak- away belonging
to a certain officer, yet the soak-away has no sign of breakage nor were
Nigerians shown the confiscated money. “Just so to achieve the intention of
demonizing the officers, the picture of drums containing US dollar belonging
to the late Colombian drug kingpin, Pablo Escobar, which was unearthed by a
Colombian farmer in 2015 are being circulated today in Nigeria as belonging to
a Nigerian military officer indicted for corruption.
“Nigerians were also told of the former Military Assistant to Late Gen. Azazi
and Sambo Dasuki, who is a serving Colonel whose house was allegedly broken
and millions of dollars were allegedly found inside. This same officer is
still in detention for more than 2 months yet no charge has been preferred
against him, while the so-called millions of dollars found in his house is not
authenticated.
Source: Vanguard
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