There are indications that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has taken over investigations into the findings of the Gen. John Ode-led Presidential panel set up to investigate arms procurement under former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
A source on Saturday, said the Presidency had given an instruction to the EFCC, to carry out a thorough investigation into the findings of the panel.
Investigation revealed that the interim report of the panel released by the Presidency on Thursday, was given to the New Chairman of the EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim. Magu, last week. The source did not give the exact date.
The source said that it was on the strength of the presidential directive that Magu constituted a team of 27 operatives to probe the findings in the report.
It was said that the Economic Governance Unit of the commission was originally chosen to handle the investigation.
Magu was a member of the arms probe panel prior to his appointment as the new chairman of the anti-graft agency.
The source said, “The Presidency has referred the report of the arms probe panel to the commission. I think that informed the decision of the new EFCC boss to set up the 27-man team to investigate the outcome of the arms probe.”
The panel report in a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Mr. Femi Adesina, on Thursday, indicted the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, of awarding fictitious contracts, 53 failed contracts, and payment for equipment without due process.
It was stated in the report that the former NSA did not supply the 12 helicopters and four fighter jets that were paid for.
But Dasuki denied the claims and insisted that all the transactions were carried out with Presidential approval.
Shortly after the release of the report, the EFCC invited Dasuki to appear before it last week.
A source close to Dasuki said that the former NSA could not honour the invitation because of the siege to his residence by operatives of the Department of State Services.
It was also gathered that the Ode-led panel would submit its final report to the President next month.
A Presidency source, however, said that before the submission of the final report, the EFCC would be working on the interim report of the panel.
A senior officer of the Department of State Services said that the committee had yet to interview some former service chiefs and contractors involved in the supply of the arms.
He said, “The committee’s report is not ready yet. Hopefully, it will be ready next month. The panel in the next few days will talk to some principal actors in the award of contract.”
Our correspondent could not get the Head of Media and Publicity of the EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, to comment on the story as the calls to his mobile telephone line did not connect.
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