ARMSGATE - Dasuki To Call Jonathan As Witness

Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki, who is on trial for alleged mismanagement of $2.1billion arms funds, would like former President Goodluck Jonathan to be his witness, it was learnt yesterday.

Dr. Jonathan has faulted the charges against Dasuki, claiming that the ex-NSA could not have stolen about $2.2billion votes for arms. “We bought warships, we bought aircraft, we bought lots of weapons for the army,” he said in a recent interview at the Oxford Union in the United Kingdom.

We gathered that, Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN), the ex-NSA’s counsel, said Dasuki wanted Jonathan to testify in court.

Raji said: “It will be desirable for Jonathan to testify for the ex-NSA. It will throw greater light into grey areas. And it will serve the interest of Justice.

“It will be fantastic for him to go to court to testify. Dasuki is an agent of a disclosed and known principal.”

Another member of the legal team said: “With what Jonathan said in London, the only logical thing for him to do is to see it through.

“We want Jonathan to follow-through. If he backs out, it will be bad.”

But, in Raji’s view, a political solution will be better than trial because of the “characters involved”.

He said: “But, frankly speaking, I pray for a political solution to the problem because of the characters involved.

“Both the accused and the government should embrace a political solution to the problem.”

Asked if Dasuki is ready for political solution, he added: “Why not? He is.

”I believe the President is very sincere. He wants to reorganise Nigeria and he deserves the support of all.

“With a political solution, Mr. President will be in good stead to overcome unnecessary distractions in order to succeed.

“I pray that everybody will key into his vision and the economic challenges facing the nation.”

Those point of advising a political solution is that it will not be “tidy” for Dasuki to mention all those who got money from his office. Among them, said a source, are a prominent traditional ruler in the North, who reportedly got N500 million and a former Head of State.

A source, who spoke in confidence, said Dasuki’s defence team was banking on Jonathan’s testimony.

The source said: “All is set for the defence of Dasuki, who is still insisting on an open trial to let Nigerians know the beneficiaries of the arms cash.

“One of those who may testify is ex-President Goodluck Jonathan whose remarks in London appeared to be the first phase of the war chest of the ex-NSA.

“You know the ex-NSA said he acted on Jonathan’s instructions in disbursing some of the cash. And from the look of things, the ex-President is now ready to accept responsibility for whatever Dasuki did.

“We believe it has reached a level that Nigerians must know what really happened, how funds were disbursed and who got what.

“This is why a secret trial is not a viable option, with the way things are going.”

The source added: “So far, we have secured the consent of Jonathan to appear in court for Dasuki. This will make the trial worth it.”

It was learnt that a traditional ruler allegedly benefitted from the arms funds to the tune of about N500million.

Another source added: “Dasuki has a list of highly-placed beneficiaries from the arms cash. A particular traditional ruler got about N500million as a gift from the government through the Office of the National Security Adviser(ONSA). There are many hidden beneficiaries whom Nigerians must know.

“Nigerians will be shocked by some revelations which will come up during the trial. Nothing short of open trial will let Nigerians know the truth. We are ready for this.”

Dasuki had on December 13, 2015 said he disbursed the funds on Jonathan’s instructions.

The ex-NSA said: “I wish to state as follows: That I have been publicly indicted and any statement may jeopardise my defence. Having been briefed by the EFCC investigators on why I was invited, I will answer the charges in court. As such, I do not wish to make any further statement on the matter.

“That I am aware in November (I cannot remember the exact date), my office requested the CBN to exchange N10billion from the account of the Office of National Security Adviser domiciled in CBN. The money was exchanged at $47m and some Euros which I cannot remember. The exact amount was delivered at my residence.

“The money was for delegates that attended the nomination convention for the PDP. Presidential nomination. The money was paid and sent to Hon. (Waripamowei) Dudafa (SSAP Household) and ADC(C-I-C) for distribution on the instruction of the President.

“Based on the statement of Director of Finance and Administration (Salisu), Ibrahim Wambai, and Yazidu Ibrahim, all the cash (both foreign and local) are usually given to them for official use.

“I also noted the statement of Sagir Bafarawa whose company is Dalhatu Investment in which he stated that he received the sum of N4,633,000,000 from the account of the Office of the NSA. I authorised the payment . The money was for vehicles, motorcycles for youth empowerment and women sent to Saudi Arabia. I got the proposal from the President. I do not have the proposal; it should be at the office in the Villa.”

Robbers Attack Delta Bank With Dynamite, Cart Off N25m

DARE-devil robbers, weekend, attacked an Ughelli branch of Union Bank, and carted away N25 million after blowing up the bank’s vault with dynamite.

It was gathered that the hoodlums, who were dressed in army camouflage, used dynamite and welding tools to break into the ATM inside the bank and the bank’s vault, where a bulk of the cash was kept.


An auditor of the bank, who was sent from the Benin regional office for the regular auditing of the bank’s branch, estimated that about N25 million was stolen from the bank.

Confirming the incident yesterday, a staff of the bank, who spoke on condition of anonymity, disclosed that the bank’s manager and some senior staff were arrested and taken to Asaba for questioning in connection with the incident.

Giving details of the incident, the staff said: “The security guards were tied up while the operation lasted.

“Though they spared the ATM outside the bank premises, they used dynamite to blow up the ATM inside the bank and drilled their way through into the bank’s vault.”

Culled: Vanguard

Embattled Kannywood Actress, Rahama Sadau Speaks On Her Controversial Musical Video

Rahama Sadau, the Nigerian Hausa actress known for her impressive acting records has spoken on her expulsion from Kannywood all the way from India where she is on vacation.

The trending top Kannywood actress, Rahama Sadau has released an official statement over her expulsion from the northern showbiz industry. Sadau was expelled for featuring in a romantic musical video by Jos born singer, ClassiQ.

Below is the statement released by Rahama Sadau:

Following the events of the last few days and MOPPAN’s unilateral decision to exclude me from the Hausa indigenous film industry, known as Kannywood, I would like to use this medium to address my fans, friends, those who have been affected and all who have shown concern. 

To those who I have offended in any way, shape or form and who I have caused any anxiety by featuring in the said music video, I sincerely apologise. It was a job and I was carrying out my role in my profession, as I would in any other production, be it a Hausa language film or a Nollywood production. However, innocuous touching with other people in my line of work is inevitable.

I have lines that I would never cross and indeed I live and stand by the tenets, “actions are judged according to intentions”. The outcome of the events that have taken place has come as a surprise to us all. I may have fallen short of some people’s expectations, but it was never my intention. I make no excuses for my actions and I take full responsibility.

Thank you to all those who have reached out at this time and to everyone in general for your unwavering support. Your passion and loyalty hasn’t gone unnoticed and I am privileged to have your support.

This, I do not take for granted and I want nothing more than to continue making you all proud.  I implore us all to be more tolerant and forgiving towards one another and to cease all the senseless abuse, name-calling and backbiting.

This achieves nothing other than to cause a huge divide amongst us. May we all continue to benefit from the Almighty’s mercy and may He protect and guide us all as we go about our daily lives.

Press play to listen to the music video of the song that got her into the trouble.

Nollywood Actress Loses Igbo Money Bag Hubby To Abuja Runs-Girl

Information at our disposal have it that beautiful Nollywood actress, Uche Elendu might have lost her Igbo money bag hubby to a drop dead beauty and Abuja runs-girl, this much National Enquirer can divulge.

The popular actress, we gathered reliably has been red-carded from her marital home following her husband's sizzling romance with a beauty queen. The mother of two and popular Nollywood star, Uche Elendu is about to go back to the single mother club as her marriage to Nigerian millionaire, Prince Oggo Walter Igweayimba a.k.a. Nku 1 has reportedly hits the rocks.

The actress’ Igbo money bag hubby has been reported to have fallen head over heel in love to a new lover, former Queen of Aso Universe, Sandra Chichi Ekwesiobi.

the Abuja big girl, Sandra sparked off a serious online controversy after she shared photos of her new $57, 965 (N26, 663, 900) Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class, 2016 model car on Instagram. A present she allegedly got from her lover, who she later confirmed in another post to be Prince Walter Nku.

Actress Uche who welcomed her second child for Walter earlier this year has been facing a rocky relationship with her Prince after their romance allegedly hit the rocks late last year when he could no longer cope with her busy schedules.

Uche and Prince Nku had a well attended lavish wedding at the Imo State House of Assembly back in 2012.

The concerned parties have kept mum on the viral report leading to preliminary confirmation about the veracity of the crisis

UNESCO Hosts Africa Fashion Reception In Paris

The United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Education (UNESCO) will be playing host to the global edition of the Africa Fashion Reception, Paris coming up on the 29^th October, 2016 at Place de Fontenoy headquarters. This is due to a new patronage and partnership between the Africa Fashion Reception and UNESCO (the world’s number 1 cultural organization).

According to the official letter from the Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova to Her Excellency, Mrs. Mariam Y. Katagum, the Permanent Delegate of Nigeria to UNESCO who are co-hosts of the AFR, she congratulated the organizers for such an important initiative. She said the AFR falls into the mandate of UNESCO’s field of competence.

The Africa Fashion Reception (AFR) is a Pan African initiative. The global edition will gather fashion designers, dignitaries, Ambassadors and media from over 30 African countries, in a celebration of cultural diversity expressed through the artistic fashion discipline with the proud theme ‘Africa is the New Inspiration of Global Fashion’.

 

The African edition was hosted by the African Union in its headquarters in Addis Ababa 13^th - 15^th September, 2016. Activities lined up during the African edition were the first African Fashion Business Summit and exhibition by each of the participating countries.

The Africa Fashion Reception is aimed at achieving the following objectives using the creative industry of Fashion as a vehicle: To build bridges by creating free trade and partnerships among fashion practitioners throughout the African continent, to attract global attention to Africa’s very rich and diversified dress culture which can be explored as a catalyst for the social economic growth of the continent’s garment/textile industry, to expand the potential power of fashion as a tool of fighting poverty in Africa by creating wealth through the empowerment of women and youths in the various fashion vocations through training, capacity building schemes, workshops and setting up of medium/small scale businesses thereby supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the African Union Agenda 2063.

Other reason is to bring about self-reliance as this initiative will create millions of jobs across the continent for Tailors, Creative Directors, Textile designers, Models, Cutters, Pressers, Fashion Photographers & Writers, Hair Stylists, Make-up Artists etc

The Africa Fashion Reception is organized and packaged by Legendary Gold Limited in collaboration with UNESCO, the Nigerian Permanent Delegation to UNESCO, African Union Commission and Atunda Entertainment. According to the CEO of Africa Fashion Reception, Lexy Mojo-Eyes ‘This platform has been specially created for positive change. The AFR is not just an event. It is a movement’.

Partners include Africa Magic, Nicolas Feuillatte, Galeries Lafayette, Rail Europe, Air France, William Grant & Sons, Yandibo, Amina Magazine, Motherland Beckons, Design Essentials, Ovation International, Atunda Entertainment,  Planet Tv, African Independent Television, Ben Tv, New African Woman & UBIZ news.