FG Expands Scope of Defence Contract Probe

Federal Government of Nigeria has expanded its scope on probe of the alleged embezzlement of 48 billion naira ($241.45 million) through overpaid defense contracts or fraud, office of the presidency said.

A new set of 300 including army officers, firms and other individuals have been accused of been onvolved in the heist.

President Muhammadu Buhari included eradicating curruption reducing it to its barest minimum sacked or investigated dozens of officials that served under his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, and ordered an audit of key government bodies such as state oil firm NNPC.

“A committee set up to probe contracts awarded by the Office of the National Security Adviser from 2011 to 2015 has indicted more than 300 companies and prominent citizens including serving and retired officers of the armed forces,” the presidency said in a statement.

The companies and individuals, some of which were listed in the statement, had repaid more than 7 billion naira to the state and were expected to return a further 41 billion naira, the statement said.

“Several contractors were apparently overpaid, while others were given full upfront payments contrary to their contract terms and agreements in force,” it said.

Another firm was given 7.9 million euros ($8.83 million) and $7.09 million in overpaid contracts, according to the statement.

One of those indicted was Sambo Dasuki, Jonathan’s security adviser, the first former official put on trial for graft.

A similar committee has accused Dasuki of fraud involving $68 million of defense spending, part of a wider $2.1 billion in arms deals that are under scrutiny. He has denied the charges.

A former Chief of Defense Staff, Army Staff, Alex Badeh has also been charged to court by EFCC for case his role in the defense budget.

Jonathan’s supporters denied that corruption increased during his presidency, saying Buhari was conducting a witch-hunt against members of the former president’s People’s Democratic Party.