Dasukigate: Witness tells court how Jonathan’s ex-NSA, Dasuki hired clerics with N2.2bn

The first prosecution witness in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser, NSA, to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Adariko Michael, has disclosed that the sum of N2.2 billion was used from the Office of Dasuki to pray against Boko Haram.

Michael, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission investigating officer, revealed that the sum was used to hire clerics in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia who prayed for Nigeria to defeat Boko Haram insurgency.

The investigator gave the testimony during the trial of Dasuki over the alleged two billion dollars arms deal fraud, NAN reports.

Dasuki was charged before Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, High Court on a 32 counts-charge bordering on misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, dishonesty.

However, the EFCC’s operative while led in evidence by the anti-graft agancy’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, said: “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 an 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 the 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.

After listening to the testimony, the judge adjourned the matter till November 11 for continuation.