$2.1b arms deal scandal: Jonathan’s men return looted funds

A good number of former high-ranking officials in the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan have started returning looted funds...


According to The Nation, the officials are begging the federal government and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to shelve plans to put them on trial....



Four of the ex-top government officials have refunded N1.4billion in the last one week, a source said on Friday, April 2.


However, a few others are said to have opted to face trial instead of returning money which they claimed has been spent on the 2015 presidential campaign.

Investigation by The Nation revealed that some of the beneficiaries of the looted funds have actually paid back or promised to do so.



Those affected have been mounting pressure on the presidency, the EFCC and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and minister of justice, Abubakar Malami, for soft landing against trial.

The government is yet to take a position on whether or not those who have returned their loot will be prosecuted.



A source said: "One of those who served under the former President has returned about N750million given to him by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for campaign. He was able to make up because he didn't spend the cash. He kept it for private use.



Some have paid back more than N650million. A former minister has pledged to refund over N1billion. Another beneficiary of the curious contracts has promised the EFCC to sell a few properties to be able to return about N2.1billion. A former military governor has also refunded the cash advanced to him by ONSA to buy a house.



Many of these former public officers and contractors are effecting refunds to avoid being named and shamed. They don't want trial. Some have volunteered to serve as prosecution witnesses instead of going through the rigours of trial."



According to the officials they said the cash was given to them on the order of former President Jonathan, adding that the funds were privately disbursed to them by the campaign committee and PDP officials without telling them the source of the money.



Mallam Garba Shehu, the senior special assistant on media and publicity to the president, on Thursday, March 31, claimed that the ONSA committee had recovered over N7billion from those culpable.



The indicted companies are to refund another N41 billion. But the investigating agencies, including the EFCC, will determine whether another N75 billion should be recovered from some of the companies.



The panel also uncovered evidence of payments to individuals and companies by ONSA without any contractual agreement or evidence of jobs executed.



Meanwhile, there seems to be confusion in the camp of Jonathan as strong indications have emerged that a deep distrust has crept into the fold.



This is coming as officials of the EFCC are after members of the immediate past administration for corruption. Jonathan's special assistant on domestic matters, Dr Waripamowei Dudafa has been cooperating with the anti-graft agency by leaking sensitive documents to both officials of the APC led government and the EFCC.