Jonathan shared in $40m ransom for Chibok girls’ release, aide tells EFCC

Hassan Tukur, principal secretary to former President Goodluck, has revealed to the EFCC     Jonathan shared in the diverted $40 million officially voted for negotiating the release of 219 Chibok girls Boko Haram abducted in 2014.

Tukur was nabbed last week by the EFCC on allegations that he mismanaged the money that was supposed to be shared with Chadian President Idris Deby, the terrorists, and others pencilled down to facilitate the release.

According to EFCC’s sources Sahara Reporters quoted, the amount was released from the office of former NSA Sambo Dasuki after Tukur flaunted his ability and connection to negotiate with Boko Haram for the release of the girls.

“One of our sources disclosed that Mr. Tukur has told investigators that he diverted the funds with the approval and at the instance of the ex -president,” wrote Sahara Reporters.

Tukur’s arrest and interrogation came after the Regional Security Summit Nigeria hosted weeks back, with France’s President Francois Hollander, Derby, and other heads of state in the Chad Basin region in attendance.

Presidency’ s sources confirmed to the online medium that Buhari had asked Deby why he pocketed $40m from Nigeria to secure the release of Chibok girls and did nothing in return.

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The Chadian president, however, disclosed that $10 million was budgeted for it, going by what Tukur told him. And Deby got $5 million before the remaining $35 million was diverted on Jonathan’s order.

“Deby added that Jonathan and his aides had abandoned the negotiation midway, forcing Chad to abandon its efforts even though Chadian troops were close to cornering Boko Haram militants and freeing the girls,” Sahara Reporters wrote.

The federal government has yet to arrest the former president despite a bunch of accusing fingers pointing to his complicity in series of corruption allegations the EFCC has been probing since Buhari came to power.

But the ant-graft agency has said none of those allegations has indicted Jonathan.