In an ongoing arms deal misappropriation trial, Hamza Abdullahi, a key witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has described how N4.6 billion was tracked to a business affiliated with Sagir Bafarawa, the son of Attahiru Bafarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.
The testimony was made on Wednesday before Judge Y. Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court.
The case, which involves high-profile figures such as Attahiru Bafarawa and his son Sagir, Bashir Yuguda, former minister of state for finance, and Sambo Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), centers on the alleged misappropriation of funds designated for arms procurement between 2012 and 2015.
These funds were apparently siphoned from Dasuki’s office while he served as NSA.
According to Abdullahi, the traceable monies totaled N4.633 billion and were placed into the account of Dalhatu Investment Limited, which is controlled by the former governor of Sokoto and has Bafarawa’s sons listed as directors.
Notably, Sagir Bafarawa was recognized as the only signatory to the company’s bank account.
During the proceedings, Abdullahi, who was the second-in-command of the special task force investigating fraud in arms and defense equipment procurement in 2015, revealed that Dalhatu Investment Limited was one of 78 companies that received funds from the NSA’s office without justification.
This disclosure occurred as part of a thorough investigation of the office’s financial practices and irregularities.
The witness further stated that Sagir Bafarawa was examined by the investigating team on November 25, 2015, and that he provided his statement willingly, giving light on the movement of funds and the operations of Dalhatu Investment Limited.
The witness 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 the witness’ testimony, Halilu adjourned the matter till May 22, 2024 for the defence to open its case in the trial-within-trial.
