Dasukigate: EFCC releases Isa for returning N100m, holds on to Metuh

For refunding N100 million of the N170 million he got from the $2.1 billion arms purchase largesse, Jafaar Isa, the first APC high hat EFCC detained, has got his freedom.

This is contrary to the PDP earlier position that the ally of ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki was released because his loot was traced to certain people currently “in the corridor of power”.

The former military governor of Kaduna was arrested Wednesday—two days after PDP spokesman Olisa Metuh was detained—at his residence in Abuja. Sources within the commission said after being grilled for hours, the retired brigadier-general cooperated by returning N100 million, promising to send in the balance of N70 million.

Quoting an associate of Isa’s, Premium Times said the former NSA  wired the sum, peace meal, into Isa’s account to buy properties in Mohammed Mohammed Avenue, Kano.

According to the online newspaper, Isa paid the money to the owner of the house, Ali Tukur, in two instalments.

“However, the house purchase deal collapsed as a former Minister of Finance, Yarima Ngama, reportedly offered to pay the sum of N150 million cash when Mr. Dasuki reneged on the payment agreement,” Premium Times reported.

While Isa is out of detention now, Metuh has yet to come out of the EFCC hold. And that might not be unconnected with his insistence on innocence.

A source within the anti-graft agency said all of those arrested were offered opportunity to own up and refund their shares of the loot.

But Metuh and PDP have been accusing the EFCC of yielding itself to being used by President Muhammadu Buhari to hunt and decimate the opposition, particularly its spokesman.

“This party can no longer guarantee that it can rein in its members and supporters who have been exercising restrain since this particular arrest by the EFCC,” the PDP said in statement released on Sunday.

Isa has been a friend of Dasuki and Buhari right from time. Apart from being a governorship contestant on the platform of the defunct CPC Buhari founded, Isa was among 19 men the president chose to midwife the transition in after the APC April victory.