BEVERLY HILLS, February 13, (THEWILL) – Commodore S. A. Yusahau (rtd), a witness in the ongoing trial of Air Marshal Umar Dikko, an air marshal who served as the Chief of Air Staff, Nigerian Air Force (NAF) between September 2010 and 2012, has given a mind boggling revelation of how Dikko used NAF funds to acquire properties in Abuja, Kaduna and Kano.
Yusahau, while being led in evidence by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Sylvanus Tahir, told the court, on Monday before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, that he was appointed as the Director of finance and account, DFA, by the defendant (Dikko), a position that put him in charge of all the financial roles.
THEWILL recalls that Dikko, was arraigned on January 25 on a seven-count charge of money laundering and procurement fraud to the tune of N9.7 billion.
“I receive all money of the Nigerian Air Force and disburse it as authorised by the defendant. The Nigerian Air Force received its funds to the tune of N4billion monthly,” Yusahau said.
“Of the N4 billion received monthly, the actual figure used in paying staff salary was between N2.3 billion to N2.4 billion. Out of the remaining N1.6 billion, N558,200.000.00 (five hundred and fifty eight million, two hundred thousand naira) was usually set aside for upkeep of the defendant, while N120 million was for the office of the DFA.
“The sum of N558,200.000.00 that was set aside for the upkeep of the Chief of Air Staff office was always converted to dollar equivalent and taken to Mr. Dikko in his personal house.
“The defendant (Dikko) purchased a five-bedroom duplex with a swimming pool, a guest chalet at N700million in Maitama, Abuja for his retirement,” Mr. Yushau disclosed.
“The defendant had a property with underground hall in Asokoro purchased at N860 million and renovated at the cost of N66 million in early 2012. He added that, in 2011, the defendant acquired a property in Kano and another property in Kaduna.
“The Kaduna property was purchased at the cost of N80 million and a sum of N75 million or N80 million was used to renovate it.”
Further hearing on the matter was been adjourned to February 16, 2017.
