Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki has said he did everything he did while he was the NSA in the interest of the nation and “with utmost fear of God”, and not a thief as being portrayed by the present administration.
In a statement he issued yesterday in Abuja, Dasuki said a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Tuesday that President Muhammadu Buhari had order his arrest over his role in the arms purchase during the last administration was nothing sort of propaganda to cast aspersions on his person.
“The Presidency alleged that the AVM Jon Ode-led panel accused Dasuki of awarding fictitious contracts between March 2012 and March 2015. Contrary to this claim, Dasuki was not the NSA in March 2012 and he could not have awarded any contract in whatever name; the ex-NSA was appointed by ex-President Goodluck Jonathan on June 22, 2012.,” he said.
“All contracts and accruing payments were with the approval of the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces. Once the ex-President approved, the former NSA paid. So, there was due process for every purchase in line with regulations guiding arms procurement for the Armed Forces.
“And Nigerians should note that all the services generated the types of equipment needed, sourced for suppliers most times and after consideration by the Office of the NSA, the President will approve application for payment. For sensitive sectors (military/security), there was no room for awarding fictitious contracts. The conclusions of the panel were presumptive, baseless and lacked diligence.
Dasuki said there were no fictitious contracts and no contract sums diverted as alleged by the Presidency. He added that relevant services acknowledged delivery of equipment “for all procurements, the Nigerian Army, the Air Force and the Nigerian Navy have their contractors.”
“In order not to endanger the nation’s security, there are many salient issues and contracts which I cannot put in public domain. I am ready for trial on all these allegations in order to prove to Nigerians that I did nothing untoward in office. We will certainly meet in court’” he said.
“I have a lot to tell Nigerians but in the interim, they should not believe some of the allegations as the gospel truths. The good thing is that some of the key actors in the present administration were parts of the past process being viciously challenged.”