‘How Jonathan’s Ex-minister Released N200m Out Of N359m For Security Campaigns’

• Jonathan’s ex-aide testifies in Turaki’s trial

A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Tahir Umar Tahir, has told a Federal High Court in Abuja that a former Special Duties Minister, Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN), released only N200 million out of the N359 million approved by the then President for a campaign project against insecurity.

Tahir was testifying on Tuesday in the alleged N715 million fraud case involving Turaki and three others.

The witness said although Dr. Jonathan approved the release of the entire N359 million he requested for the project, Turaki only released N200 million.

Led in evidence by the lead prosecution lawyer, Mohammed Abubakar, Tahir said ex-President Jonathan sought his advice on January 23, 2014 on how to address the growing insecurity, particularly Boko Haram activities, hate speech and hateful preaching by some religious organisations.

Tahir, who served between 2013 and 2015 as Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to ex-President Jonathan, said he suggested to the then President the need to organise series of sensitisation activities with religious leaders and bodies.

He said Dr. Jonathan agreed to his suggestion and asked him to raise a proposal that outlined the plan of action and the budget.

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The witness said his budget for the project was N359 million, which the then President approved and directed the Minister of Finance to release.

According to him, he had planned to carry out the activities in the six geo-political zones and in each of the 19 Northern states.

Tahir said since his office had no bank account, he liaised with the Ministry of Special Duties under Turaki.

The witness said around January 20, 2015, the minister told him that the Finance Minister had released N200 million for his project.

Tahir added that the minister later caused N150 million to be transferred, in three tranches, into the account of one of the groups he worked with on the project – Community and Youth Development – which he had given the minister.

“Two days later, his PA (Personal Assistant), Sampson, brought N50 million to me in cash. I collected it and put it in a safe in my office,” he said.

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The witness averred that he later applied the money for the purpose it was meant.

Tahir said he only got N200 million out of the N359 million he requested for, adding that he could not do all he planned to do because the entire budget was not released to him.

He said when the EFCC called him later to ask for details on the assignment carried out and how he disbursed the money, he told the agency what he did and presented documents and vouchers as evidence.

The witness said when Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) investigators told him that all the money he asked for was released, he told them he did not know, but that it was only N200 million that was released to him.

The prosecution tendered, through the witness, some documents, including the Tahir’s appointment letter, his schedule of duty, the memorandum he wrote to ex-President Jonathan on the campaign, his memorandum to Turaki, and the approval given by the then President.

At the conclusion of the witness’s testimony-in-chief, lawyers to the defendants sought time to return for cross-examination.

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Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned till September 21 for continuation of trial.

Turaki was represented at yesterday’s proceedings by a team of about 20 lawyers, including eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs).

The team, led by Olajide Ayodele, included Joe Kyari Gadzama, Chris Uche, Kenneth Njemanze, Akinlolu Kehinde, Chukwuma Machukwu-Ume, Ikechukwu Ezechukwu, Ibrahim Shafi, all SANs.

Tukaki was arraigned before a Federal High Court in Abuja on May 4, this year, on a 16-count charge filed by the EFCC.

He served as the Minister for Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Affairs from 2013 to 2015 and was also the Supervising Minister of Labour from 2014 to 2015.

Turaki is charged with his former Special Assistant, Sampson Okpetu, and two firms allegedly owned by Okpetu – Samtee Essentials Limited and Pasco Investment Limited.

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The EFCC alleged that Turaki used the two companies belonging to his aide to illegally siphon public funds estimated at N714,670,014.87, but he denied the allegation.

The EFCC claimed that while the Minister of Finance released the entire N359 million as contained in Tahir’s proposal, which Dr. Jonathan approved, Turaki allegedly withheld the balance after releasing N200 million to Tahir.

The EFCC said it had documentary evidence, revealing how millions of naira were transferred into bank accounts belonging to Turaki’s wife and relatives.

Nation