EFCC threatened, teleguided me to make incriminating statements – AVM Mamu

A former Chief of Administration of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Vice Marshal Mohammed Alkali Mamu has said officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) threatened, tutored and teleguided him to make self-incriminating statements in a matter affecting national security.

Mamu, who earlier gave testimonies on how the military brought in mercenaries disguised as instructors to support Nigerian troops in the war against Boko Haram, said he hid this part from his statements to EFCC because of the sensitivity of the evidence to national security.

At the resumed hearing before Justice Salisu Garba of an FCT High Court in Maitama yesterday, before the witness could continue with his evidence, the judge summoned counsels to both parties to approach the bench. 

Both counsels later confirmed afterwards that the summon that lasted above five minutes discussed whether or not to allow the evidence of the defendant to be continued in open court or in chambers due to the sensitivity of the evidence as it relates to national security.

When hearing continued, led in evidence by his counsel, Chief Joseph B. Daudu (SAN), Mamu said his statements to the EFCC was different from the oral evidence he gave in court at the last sitting because as at the time he was invited by the EFCC, he was still serving as an AVM and “unauthorized disclosure is against the Sacred Act of which I have sworn. Regrettably it is public knowledge that information released to the EFCC always finds its way to public domain.”

He said he told operatives of EFCC interrogating him on allegedly receiving bribes from one Hima Abubakar of Societe D’Equipments Internationaux Nigeria Limited that the issue relates to activities as regards payment made for military activities in the war against Boko Haram.

He said he wrote to the Acting Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu as directed by the operatives under top secret cover and the letter dated 23/05/2016 was hand-delivered by the NAF Liaison officer at EFCC, Squadron leader Mohd Sale. He thereafter tendered the duplicate of the said letter to which EFCC’s counsel, Sylvanus Tahir objected to and the court reserved ruling on its admissibility.

Mamu said in his effort to further protect national security, he wrote another letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to intervene in respect to disclosures that have negative effects on national security. The prosecutor objected to the admissibility of this letter.

The judge thereafter adjourned the matter to December 13 to rule on the admissibility of some of the documents sort to be tendered and for continuation of hearing.