Goodluck alleged to have spent over N2bn on prayer sessions to defeat Boko Haram

FORMER president Dr Goodluck Jonathan spent over N2.2bn (£7.7m) on prayers getting Muslim clergymen to call for divine intervention to help defeat the terrorist sect Boko Haram through special sessions in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia.

 

In a recent testimony before high court in Abuja, the former executive director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Aminu Baba-Kusa, added that the money was given to clerics to organise prayer sessions. He revealed that Dr Jonathan spent the amount on special prayers in Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, disbursing the cash through the Office of the National Security Adviser.

 

Charged with corruption, Alhaji Baba-Kusa, who is standing trial alongside the former national security adviser Col Sambo Dasuki in relation to the diversion of funds meant for the procurement of arms, made the disclosure in his witness statement filed before the court. He added that the money was released in two tranches of N1,450,000,000 and N750,000,000.

 

Alhaji Baba-Kusa said, “I approached the former national security adviser and discussed Boko Haram problems and I suggested there is a need for prayers and he considered and accepted in 2013 when he first came to office. I personally sponsored many people locally and some few to Saudi Arabia.

 

"Some monies were later paid into our companies, which we paid to some of the mallams to organise in Abuja, Zaria, Kano, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Kaduna and Saudi Arabia between 2013 and 2015.  I then arranged to recover my personal expense which I put into our own businesses."

 

According to Alhaji Baba-Kusa, he gave the clerics funds as required from time to time, ranging from N500,000 to N30m, depending on their needs, including sadaqat and travel to Saudi Arabia for Umrah and Hajj. He added that he reminded Col Dasuki many times before payments were made, as they were friends who grew up together.

 

“Most of the payments in cash were meant to be given out to people that have been organising prayers. Some transfers to Acacia to other banks were for logistics and also to some mallams in cash,” Alhaji Baba-Kusa added.

 

He noted that the prayer contract was not documented as the proposal to overcome Boko Haram with spiritual means was entered into verbally. Also, there was no amount of money agreed o, so the expenses just piled out as they went along.