The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has said that N2.2bn was spent by former Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, on prayers against Boko Haram.
An EFCC investigating officer, Adariko Michael, alleged that N2.2 billion was spent on prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to win the war against Boko Haram insurgency in Nigeria.
Mr Michael was giving evidence on Tuesday as one of the prosecution witness (PW1) in the trial of the former National Security Adviser (ONSA) to President Goodluck Jonathan, Sambo Dasuki, in the alleged arms deal fraud of two billion dollars.
Charged with the retired colonel, Mr. Dasuki, are an ex-General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
They were charged with 32 counts bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money before Husseini Baba-Yusuf.
While led in evidence by the EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, Mr Micheal said N750 million was allegedly transferred from the ONSA special account to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account with First Bank.
Michael added that N650 million was also transferred to Acacia Holding Limited’s account with EcoBank, while another N600 million and N200 million were transferred to the company’s account with UBA.
“Between September 27, 2013, and April 16, 2015, N50 million was credited to Reliance Referral Hospital’s account.
“Based on responses from the banks involved, as investigating officer, we found out that money was transferred to several individuals and companies.
“When we went through the account statement, we asked the second defendant (Aminu Babakusa) the reason for this.
“He informed us that the money was used to hire clerics to pray for the nation as regards Boko Haram crisis.
“When we asked him to provide the names, contacts and phone numbers of the clerics he hired to pray for the nation, he mentioned only two,” he said.
Mr. Baba-Yusuf, after listening to the testimony, adjourned the matter for the continuation of hearing.
Mr Dasuki spent four years in detention, following his arrest in 2015 over alleged misappropriation of N2.2 billion meant for arms purchase during his time as National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan.
After the Federal Government had consistently failed to honour court orders granting him bail, including an ECOWAS court judgment in 2016, upon his arrest in 2015 over the misappropriation of N2.2bn meant for arms purchase, Dasuki was finally released on December 24, 2019.
