How Metuh's company, others shared billions of naira for nonexistent contracts

A Federal High Court presided over by Justice Okon Abang in Abuja was on Tuesday, told how the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA under Col Sambo Dasuki retd, paid billions of naira to 78 companies including Olisa Metuh's Destra Investment Ltd for phoney contracts.

Of the total sum, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Spokesman allegedly received about N1.4b as payments for fictitious contracts through his firm.

An electronic mandate tendered before the court by the prosecution in Metuh’s trial by an official of the ONSA, Bali Ndam, was said to have been issued by former NSA Sambo Dasuki, to the Abuja branch of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, authorising various sums of money to the tune of about N1.4 billion.

Ndam who is a legal adviser in the Office of the National Security Adviser was led in evidence by the prosecution counsel, Sylvanus Tahir as the third prosecution witness.

“On November 28, 2015, the ONSA forwarded a letter to the Chairman of EFCC and the title of the letter was ‘payment of contracts without award’ for their necessary action.

“The letter forwarded a list of companies and individuals covering almost about 78.

“The one I can remember vividly is Destra Investment Limited.

“Following the letter, the EFCC sent a letter to the ONSA requesting e-payment mandate for these companies. The (EFCC’s) letter, dated January 13, 2016 was signed by one Ibrahim Musa.

“The ONSA replied the request of EFCC forwarding the list of e-payment mandate, number 0799 to the EFCC on January 14, 2016. It was signed by one M. Abdulraheem, Group Captain.

“After the letter was forwarded to EFCC, I was also invited to write a statement which I did,” he said.

The defense counsel, Barr Ikpeazu's attempt to prevent the document from being admitted in evidence on the grounds that the witness was “procured to manufacture evidence to entangle the defendant” was overruled by Justice Okon Abang.

The judge fixed Wednesday for consideration of Metuh's application for variation of conditions of bail