$2.1bn Arms Deal: EFCC Arraigns Ex Chief Of Air Staff, Dikko Umar

Former Chief of Air staff，Air Vice Marshal Dikko Umar was arraigned before Justice Binta Nyako of the federal high court in Abuja on a 7 count charge. The former air chief is being investigated for his alleged involvement in the misappropriation of funds meant for arms procurement during the immediate past administration. Air Marshal Umar was Nigeria’s Chief of Air Staff between 2010 to 2012.

Recall that on January 15th President Buhari gave the anti-graft agency the green light to establish the scope of the culpability of the immediate past Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Sabundu Badeh, former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Mohammed Dikko Umar (2010 -2012) and the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Nunayon Amosu, in alleged fraudulent arms purchases for the Air Force between 2007 and 2015.

Also lined up for investigation by the anti-graft agency are 14 other retired and serving military officers and 21 firms said to have been awarded the contracts.

The companies have been traced to associates and relatives of some of the suspects. A committee on the audit of defence equipment has confirmed that Nigeria spent about $2billion and another N29billion on NAF procurement alone during the period in question.

Garba Shehu,Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the President, gave the names of those to be investigated as: (1) Air Chief Marshal A.S. Badeh (Rtd) (2) Air Marshal M.D. Umar (Rtd) (3) Air Marshal A.N. Amosu (Rtd) (4) Maj-Gen. E.R. Chioba (Rtd), former Director General, Defence Industry Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) (5) AVM I.A. Balogun (Rtd) (6) AVM A.G. Tsakr (Rtd) (7) AVM A.G. Idowu (Rtd) (8) AVM A.M. Mamu (NAF Chief of Administration) (9) AVM O.T. Oguntoyinbo (former Director of Production, Defence Headquarters) (10) AVM T. Omenyi (MD, NAF Holdings) (11) AVM J.B. Adigun (former Chief of Accounts and Budgeting) (12) AVM R.A. Ojuawo (Air Force Tactical Air Command, Makurdi) (13) AVM J.A. Kayode-Beckley (Director, Armament Research in Air Force Research and Development Centre) (12) Air Cdre S.A. Yushau (Rtd) (13) Air Cdre A.O. Ogunjobi (14) Air Cdre G.M.D. Gwani (15) Air Cdre S.O. Makinde (16) Air Cdre A.Y. Lassa (16) Col N. Ashinze (Special Military Assistant to former NSA Sambo Dasuki) (17) Lt Col. M.S. Dasuki (Rtd).