Whistleblower demands open enquiry on alleged $2bn recovered loot

* We are still investigating – Presidential panel

A retired brigadier general of the Nigerian Army, Adamu Yusuf, has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate an open enquiry on the status of an alleged $2billion loot recovered since 2015.

Yusuf, who said he gave the information that led to the recovery of the amount, said it was surprising that almost four years since the alleged money was recovered, it was yet to be returned to the coffers of government.

Addressing journalists at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, Yusuf said he got information about the alleged loot from one Honourable Chuma Nzeribe.

He said he was then linked with the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari, who he said detailed the Department of State Services (DSS) led by its then Director General, Lawal Daura, to carry out the operation on October 10, 2015.

He said Kyari later called him and confirmed that the operation was successful and that it took them three days to evacuate the alleged loot ($2billion cash and several gold bars) from the location at House No 11, Block 6, Flat 7, NNPC Estate, Area 11, Abuja.

He said when Kyari became evasive as regards the compensation promised the whistleblowers and when he found out that there was no entry of the recovery by the DSS, he approached the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, who he said took him to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari.

“Mr. President at the meeting acknowledged the recovery of the gold bars only but I quickly mentioned that a lot of US Dollars in cartons were also removed from the property. Then, Mr. President asked the NSA to take appropriate action,” Brig. Gen. Yusuf said.

He said since then nothing have been forthcoming on the recovery, adding that he also went to see former Chief of Army Staff, General Theophilus Y. Danjuma on the matter.

He also said he filed a petition with the Special Presidential Investigation Panel for the Recovery of Public Property (SPIP) but nothing have come off all his efforts.

However, the chairman of SPIP, Chief Okoi Obono-Obla, who confirmed receipt of the petition, told our reporter that investigation was still ongoing.

“We have invited and interviewed seven persons including the petitioner and witnesses he listed and they have all made statements”, he said, adding that investigation of “this magnitude take time, but we are on it, we are still investigating.”