Strong reports have raised dust that former Nigeria’s President, Goodluck Jonathan authorized the withdrawal of a whopping N67.2 billion in cash from the Central Bank of Nigeria between November 2014 and February 2015 for “special services”.
PREMIUM TIMES authoritatively reported that the withdrawals were made in the build up to the 2015 general elections.
Information further gathered says more ‘curious’ large withdrawals were made from the bank during the period, however, PT was unable to obtain documents to back up the claims.
But highly classified documents obtained by PT, Friday, showed that at least N67.2 billion were withdrawn in cash from the banks in two tranches.
An insiders also at the CBN confirmed that the huge cash were carted away in bullion vans.
According to more findings, one of the withdrawals was made through a memo which originated from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, allegedly based on Mr. Jonathan’s instruction. The second memo was generated by the National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC.
The first memo, dated November 2014, contained a request for the withdrawal of $47 million cash out of N10 billion earmarked for release for an unbudgeted “special services”.
In the memo with reference number: NSA/366/S and titled: “Request for Funds for Special Services,” an official from Mr. Dasuki’s office had drawn the CBN governor’s attention to a previous discussion and requested the release of the said funds by the bank.
The balance from the N10 billion, the memo directed, was to be paid out in Euro, while a certain Director of Finance and Administration with the name S.A Salisu, was authorised to sign and receive the haul of U.S dollars and Euro in cash, on behalf of the NSA’s office.
“Further to our discussion, you are pleased requested to provide the sum of forty seven million United States Dollars (USD47, 000,000.00) cash out of the Ten Billion Naira (N10, 000,000,000.00) and the balance in Euro to this office for special services,” the memo read in part.
“Mr. S. A. Salisu, director finance and administration is, hereby authorised to sign and collect the amount. Please accept, Your Excellency, the assurances of my highest esteem,” the memo said.
It remains unknown what the “special services”, for which the funds were removed, are
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