Dasukigate: Obaigbena writes EFCC, leaves ex-spymaster holding the bag

Chairman, Newspaper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, Nduka Obaigbena, has written the EFCC to clarify certain issues over the N670 million the ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki claimed he gave the newspaper association between 2014 and 2015.

Issues Obaigbena highlighted in the letter include the payment Dasuki made to General Hydrocarbons Ltd, the insurance aspect, the NPAN being privy to the NSA handouts, and whether the members knew the funds came from the arms purchase budget. He revealed the Nigerian Guild of Editors connection, too.

The editor-in-chief of ThisDay said General Hydrocarbons is a subsidiary of ThisDay Newspaper Group set up to service the power and fuel logistics in the company.

“When the ONSA said that they had approval to pay us, but would rather not set a precedent by paying THISDAY directly, we nominated a member company of the THISDAY Newspapers Group, called General Hydrocarbons Ltd., to receive the payments on behalf of the group of companies, given that the assets of General Hydrocarbons Ltd – mainly generators – were also destroyed in the bombings,” he said.

He noted the company’s insurers that were supposed to have compensated the media house refused to heed the claim because ThisDay had no war and terrorist policy.

On why the payment was classified as “Energy Consultancy”, Obaigbena said he wouldn’t know the reason. “… and cannot determine why and how security and intelligence agencies classify their payments in whatever manner they do,” he said, adding the General Hydrocarbons Ltd didn’t engage in energy consultancy.

The total amount the company received was N550,000,000 which he said was used to defray 30 percent of the money it paid for the cost of some printing services in its Abuja press.

The balance was paid out to 12 newspapers that took their harassment to court, and with whom the federal government resorted to out-of-court compensation. About N120 million (N10 million each) was given to each of the 12 claimants, including the Nation, the Leadership, and others.

“It (NPAN) also endorsed that each beneficiary will pay N1million of the paid sum to the Association for its development activities,” he said.

The NGE, on the suggestion of Dasuki, also got their slice of the money. “He suggested that the Nigerian Guild of Editors (who are now calling for a probe) was paid N50,000,000 cash by the ONSA when President Jonathan donated to the building of the NGE secretariat,” Obaigbena added.

The NGE was headed then by Femi Adesina who is now President Muhammadu Buhari media spokesman.

While the bazaar lasted, the newspapers body didn’t bother about whether the money came from arms purchase budget or not. “The NPAN and indeed THISDAY Newspapers and / or even General Hydrocarbons Ltd could not have known which budget head payments ordered by the President through the ONSA came from, given that security and intelligence agencies have several payment conventions unknown to the public,” Obaigbena said.

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And the publisher, in defence, added Nigerians ought to cut them him and others some slack over the matter.  “At the end of the day, we were victims of a horrendous terrorist attack and should not be victimized any further as the terrorists will be celebrating what we are now being put through.”