Former Minister of Defence (State) Musiliu Obanikoro’s head of security has told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) how his principal moved funds to Ekiti State for the June 21, 2014 governorship election.
According to reports by The Nation, Lt. Commander A. O. Adewale gave a blow-by-blow account of the cash movement when he was grilled by some EFCC operatives.
The EFCC is investigating the N1.299billion cash taken to Governor Ayodele Fayose by Obanikoro in chartered flight before the election.
The cash was part of the N4.745 billion paid into Obanikoro’s company, Sylva Mcnamara by the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).
He said: “I was posted as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State for Defence from March 2014 to September 2014. Thereafter I proceeded to Defence Intelligence School for my basic French Language course from December 14 to June 2015.
”As at when I was the Flag Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, my schedule of duties was being in charge of Very Important Personalities (VIP) protection, organisation and administration of the escorts and also coordination of convoys for movement, organisation and administration of the escorts’ means.
“I am responsible to all the security aides attached to the minister. Security aides include the personnel from the Army, Navy and Air Force. I detail them on VIP protection.
“During my tour of duty as the Flag. Lieutenant to the Minister of State for Defence, I was reporting to the Principal Staff Office, (PSO), Navy Capt. O.O. Fadeyi. During my period as the Flag Lieutenant to the Hon. Minister of State Defence, the then minister was Senator Musiliu Obanikoro.
”On assumption of duty as the Flag Lieutenant, I embarked on several trips with the Minister to several military and civil parastatals, some of which included several visits to Lagos, the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Military Pension Board, Air Force Base in Enugu, also visits to Ekiti State, Port Harcout, Bayelsa and the commissioning of the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Okpabana in the United States.
“ During my tour of duty, I visited Ekiti twice with the minister. The first was the presidential rally held in Ekiti and the second trip was sometimes in June 2014.
“The movement to Ekiti was by air through a chartered aircraft. It is not part of my duties to initiate movement for the minister. Every time, the minister informed me verbally of our intended movement, I complied.”
Adewale, who gave insights into how the trip was arranged, said he prepared the manifest of passengers on board the chartered flight.
“I recognised the manifest via my handwriting and my name is also on the manifest. The flight was organised by the minister and I was given the contact of Mr. Jide West (the General Manager of Gyro Air) to liaise with.
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