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Arms deal: EFCC arrests Amosu, ex-Chief of Air Staff over alleged N29bn scam

Arms deal: EFCC arrests Amosu, ex-Chief of Air Staff over alleged N29bn scam

FOR his alleged refusal to co-operate with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged role in the diversion of N29billion in the $2.1billion arms deal, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adeola Amosu (retd), was yesterday arrested in Abuja.

He was picked up after preliminary investigation showed that he was accused of authorising the purchase of two helicopters which had no functional rotors, among other alleged crimes. Amosu was said to have compelled two Air Force officers to use one of choppers after they were equipped with a rotor that was taken from an  unserviceable Russian-made helicopter gunship. The officers died in a crash near Yola, capital of Adamawa State last year. The rotors were said to be too heavy for the helicopter.

Amosu’s arrest came amid speculations that more former and serving senior military officials may still be ” invited” in the coming days to explain their roles in the raging arms procurement scandal (aka Dasukigate).
A highly dependable source at the EFCC, who confirmed Amosu’s arrest, said: “Yes, it is true that he is with us.” He declined further comments on the matter.
The EFCC’s spokesman, Mr. Wilson Uwujare, could not be reached for comments on the arrest at Press time.
President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered a probe of many serving and retired senior military officers over questionable deals in the procurement of weapons which were meant to boost the military’s anti-insurgency war in the North-East during  the Jonathan administration.

Meanwhile, Details released by presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu on January 15, the Presidential Committee that investigated the purchase, said: “A major procurement activity undertaken by ONSA for NAF was that concerning the contracts awarded to Societe D’ Equipment Internationaux (SEI) Nig Ltd.
“Between January 2014 and February 2015, NAF awarded 10 contracts totalling Nine Hundred and Thirty Million, Five Hundred Thousand, Six Hundred and Ninety US Dollars ($930,500,690.00) to SEI Nig Ltd.
“Letters of award and End User Certificates for all the contracts issued by NAF and ONSA respectively did not reflect the contract sums. Rather, these were only found in the vendor’s invoices, all dated 19 March 2015.
Additionally, some of the award letters contained misleading delivery dates suggesting fraudulent intent in the award process. The observed discrepancies are in clear contravention of extant procurement regulations.
“However, it was confirmed that the helicopters were excessively priced and not operationally airworthy at the time of delivery. A brand new unit of such helicopters goes for about Thirty Million US Dollars ($30m).

Furthermore, the helicopters were delivered without rotor blades and upgrade accessories.

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