There were indications on Tuesday that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission’s interrogation of a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu (retd.), had reached a dead end.
It was learnt that the commission had asked Amosu and others, who are still being detained over the $2.1bn arms deal, to refund some money or contract sums traced to them.
Findings showed that the former Chief of Air Staff was being interrogated in connection with 10 contracts awarded by the Nigeria Air Force between 2014 and 2015, totalling $930.5m.
It was gathered that the EFCC’s operatives met a brick wall when the former NAF chief refused to make any commitment to return any money or contract sums, which had been allegedly traced to him.
A source said as part of moves to recover the funds, the commission was making the signing of an undertaking to refund money as a precondition for granting the suspects administrative bail.
The source, who did not state the amount the former chief of air staff had been asked to pay, said, “As part of efforts to recover funds looted from the NSA office, suspects are being asked to write an undertaking that they will return the money before granting them administrative bail.
“Among others, Amosu is being quizzed over $930m contracts by the Air Force, but the commission had not made the progress it desires because he has not signed any undertaking to return any money. He has not provided the information the commission is looking for.”
It was learnt that most of the questions asked Amosu centred on the procurement of two used Mi-24V Helicopters instead of the recommended Mi-35M series at cost of $136.9m.
The helicopters were said to have been excessively priced and not operationally airworthy at the time of delivery.
A brand new unit of such helicopters costs about $30m.
Those who are still being detained by the EFCC include a colonel of the Nigerian Army, who served as the military assistant to a former NSA, the late Gen. Andrew Azazi; former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(retd.) as well as an Austrian citizen, Mr. Wolfgang Reinl.
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