In an ongoing arms deal misappropriation trial, Hamza Abdullahi, a key witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has detailed how N4.6 billion was traced to a company associated with Sagir Bafarawa, the son of Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.
The testimony was given at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court before Judge Y. Halilu on Wednesday.
The case, which involves high-profile figures including Attahiru Bafarawa, his son Sagir; Bashir Yuguda, former minister of state for finance; and Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), revolves around the alleged misappropriation of funds designated for arms procurement between 2012 and 2015.
These funds were reportedly diverted from Dasuki’s office during his tenure as NSA.
According to Abdullahi, the traced funds amounting to N4.633 billion were deposited into the account of Dalhatu Investment Limited, a company owned by the former governor of Sokoto, with Bafarawa’s sons listed as directors.
Notably, Sagir Bafarawa was identified as the sole signatory of the company’s bank account.
During the proceedings, Abdullahi, who served as the second-in-command of the special task force investigating fraud in arms and defense equipment procurement in 2015, shared that Dalhatu Investment Limited was among the 78 companies that received funds from the NSA’s office without proper justification.
This revelation came as part of an extensive inquiry into the financial dealings and irregularities linked to the office.
NAIJAONPOINT further disclosed that Sagir Bafarawa was interviewed by the investigative team on November 25, 2015, where he made his statement voluntarily, shedding light on the flow of funds and the operations of Dalhatu Investment Limited.
NAIJAONPOINT said, “My Lord, I witnessed the statement dated 25/11/2015 of Sagir Attahiru Bafarawa. He was interviewed in my presence, the statement was also recorded in my presence.
“At the conclusion of the written statement, I read it to him. Thereafter, I endorsed the written statement. I equally endorsed the second statement at 4pm and it was concluded by 4:25pm, the same day. I witnessed it, my name and signature were there.
“My Lord, there was nothing like promises made to the accused, threat or inducement. To the best of my knowledge, there was nothing like that.
“It was a very conducive environment and that was the secretariat of the special task force at the head office then.
“The secretariat is the conference room of the chairman, and no member of the special task force is authorized to make any promise in the course of investigation.
“When Sagir Attahiru Bafarawa honored our invitation, he came with his lawyer and he was confronted with the evidence that we have.
“Afterwards, he said he needed to consult his lawyer and later volunteered his written statement. These statements were based on the fact of the evidence we have on the company.”
After NAIJAONPOINT ’ testimony, Halilu adjourned the matter till May 22, 2024 for the defence to open its case in the trial-within-trial.