EFCC Claims Ex-NSA Allegedly Funneled N1.2bn to Fayose
Abubakar Madaki, the 13th prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of Ayodele Fayose, former governor of Ekiti State, testified before Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, revealing how the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), handed N1.2 billion in cash to Fayose to obscure the origins of the funds.
On July 2, 2019, the Lagos Zonal Command of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) re-arraigned Fayose and Spotless Investment Limited on 11 counts of money laundering and theft totaling N6.9 billion. The initial arraignment occurred on October 22, 2018, before Justice Mojisola Olatoregun.
Earlier testimony by Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, a former Minister of State for Defence, revealed that Dasuki had instructed him to transfer N1.2 billion from an account designated as the Boko Haram Special Intervention Account to Fayose. Obanikoro detailed that the N1.2 billion originated from the NSA’s imprest account before being moved to the intervention account.
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Madaki, an EFCC investigator, disclosed that contrary to Fayose’s claim of the money being a campaign donation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the funds were traced back to the NSA’s office, allocated for security equipment.
During the session on July 1, 2024, under cross-examination by the defense counsel Olalekan Ojo, SAN, Madaki admitted there were no relevant transactions in Fayose’s personal accounts. When pressed on whether he witnessed any transactions, he clarified that his knowledge stemmed from investigations.
Asked if all court submissions, including investigations, were based on facts, Madaki confirmed, citing documents recovered during the probe. Regarding a person named “Eruka,” Madaki mentioned obtaining a statement from him but could not confirm specific details about his whereabouts on the questioned date, as raised by the defense.
The defense’s inquiry into a document indicating Fayose’s receipt of funds in dollars from Obanikoro was also met with a negative response from Madaki.
Under further cross-examination by the first defendant’s counsel, Ola Olanipekun, SAN, Madaki confirmed that N4.6 billion was transferred by Dasuki to Sivan Macnamara’s Diamond Bank account, meant for Fayose. However, Madaki clarified that the funds were given in cash to avoid traceability, not through direct transfer.
The trial is set to continue on July 19, 2024, with additional sessions scheduled for October 17 and 18, 2024.
