Former Senior Special Assistant to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Doyin Okupe has been interrogated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged N162million illicit payments to him and his companies by a former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki and Chanchaga Local Government in Niger State. He was quizzed over the N50million which he collected in cash from the former NSA without record or accountability and asked to explain why Romic Soil Fix International Limited, a company owned by him, received N63million from Chanchaga Local Government of Niger State and another N13.5m from the same council, for reasons that are not stated.
The former Presidential spokesman however pleaded with the EFCC not to detain him due to a heart problem and presented a medical report to back his claim He was mandated to report at intervals. The anti-graft body has also constituted a special team to try former Chiefs of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Ihejirika and Lieutenant General Minimah and 52 others in connection with their involvement in Dasukigate. The interrogation is expected to commence as early as Monday as President Muhammadu Buhari gave the nod for the probe following the recommendation of the Presidential Committee on Audit of Defence Equipment, headed by Air vice Marshall JON Ode, in its third interim report to the president.
Besides the ex-Army Chiefs, others recommended for probe are 16 other Retired and serving Army Officers, 12 serving and retired public officers and 24 Chief Executive Officers of companies involved in the procurement of equipment. They include a former Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nurudeen Mohammed and three former permanent secretaries in the Ministry of Defence Bukar Goni Aji, Haruna Sanusi and Mr. E.O, Oyemomi.
The CEOs to be investigated include Olu Bamgbose a retired colonel of Bamverde Limited. Amity Sade of Doiyatec Comms Limited and DYI Global Services and Mr. Edward Churchill of Westgate Global Trust Ltd.
