Ex-chief of air staff Dikko collected N558.2m NAF funds monthly for 2 years - Finance director insists

macfranc007 February 09, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Nigerian newspapers 24/7 Kess Ewubare

- A former finance director of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF), Air Commodore Salisu Yushau, says ex-NAF chief, Umar Dikko, allegedly withdrew N700million from the NAF account to purchase a house at No 14 Vistula Close, off Panama Street in Maitama, Abuja

- He insists that he acted solely on the instructions from his boss, Dikko, with respect to the release of funds

- INEC asks EFCC to monitor politicians’ spending

A former finance director of the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) Air Commodore Salisu Yushau (rtd) has detailed how ex-chief of air staff, Air Marshal Mahammed Umar Dikko allegedly collected N558.2m NAF funds monthly for 2 years.

Yushau made the allegation on Thursday, February 8, at the trial of Dikko, who served as the chief of air staff, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) between September 2010 and 2012.

The former NAF chief is facing a 7-count charge of money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of N9.7billion preferred against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The former finance director who was the first prosecution witness told the court among other things that Diko allegedly withdrew N700m from the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) account to purchase a house at No 14 Vistula Close, off Panama Street in Maitama, Abuja.

The former air chief was also said to have stolen N500m from the NAF account to buy a four-bedroom duplex at Road 3B Street 2 in Mabushi Ministers Hill, Abuja. Additionally, the former NAF boss was alleged to have taken N250m from the NAF's coffers to buy a property at number 14, Audu Bako Way, GRA, Kano State in 2011.

Yushau, had in his evidence which started in February 2017 told the court that he was appointed as the director of finance and accounting (DFA) by the defendant, Dikko, a position that put him in charge of all the financial roles.

The witness stated that he receive and disbursed NAF funds on the orders of Dikko, adding that the Nigerian Air Force received its funds to the tune of N4billion monthly.

The former finance director under cross-examination by Dikko’s counsel, Hassan Liman, SAN, insisted that he acted solely on the instructions from his boss (Dikko) with respect to the release of funds.

He said that whenever approvals were obtained from the defendant, payment vouchers were raised before payments were made. He further told the court that he paid the defendant the sum of N558.2m monthly, for two years.

“I can confirm that I gave the defendant N558.2million monthly, from November 2010 to September 2012. I personally gave it to him and it was usually exchanged into United States Dollar, ”Yushau said.

“I always received two types of instructions; oral and written instructions. When the defendant needs money, the instruction was always oral. But when other officers needed money, the request will come in written form and he will now approve.”

Yushau told the court that he was also investigated by the EFCC.

Under re-examination by Silvanus Tahir, counsel to EFCC, the witness told the court that he had while in South Africa for a course, he travelled down to Nigeria on two occasions, to personally give money to Dikko.

“While on course in South Africa, I had to come to Nigeria twice to personally give money to Dikko. The first one was in September 2011, of which I collected the money for July and August and gave to the defendant.

“My second coming was in November 2011 when I collected the money for September and October 2011 and gave him.

“The last one was after my course was in December, when I collected the money and gave him in January 2012, ”Yushau stated.

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He further said that no receipt was issued to him by Dikko for all the money he personally gave him. Thereafter, Justice Dimgba adjourned to March 20 - 21, 2018, for continuation of trial.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (EFCC) has asked the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to monitor sources of campaign finances by registered political parties and their candidates.

Punch reports that the chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said this when the acting EFCC chairman, Ibrahim Magu, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja on Thursday, February 8.

NAIJ.com gathered that Electoral Act said that no presidential candidate can spend over N1bn, no governorship candidate can spend over N200m and no senatorial candidate can spend above N40m.

The EFCC stage a walk against corruption on NAIJ.com TV