Witness Narrates How N4.6Bn Meant for Arms Purchase Was Diverted to Sponsor Hajj Pilgrimage, PDP 2015 Campaigns

ByEditor

Nov 19, 2025 #Attahiru Bafarawa corruption case, #Bashir Yuguda trial, #EFCC witness testimony, #Hajj sponsorship fraud, #N4.6bn arms fund diversion, #ONSA arms scandal, #PDP 2015 election funds, #Sambo Dasuki prosecution

EFCC Chairman, Ola Olukoyede

Pat Stevens/

Funds allocated for the purchase of crucial security equipment during the 2015 election cycle were instead channelled into political and religious activities, a witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) told a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja on Tuesday.

Testifying before Justice Yusuf Halilu, EFCC operative, Kazeem Yusuf, said the investigation revealed that N4.6 billion released by the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was meant for arms procurement but was never used for that purpose.

Instead, the money was allegedly spent on sponsorship of pilgrimage to Makkah, funding the 2015 presidential election, and organising People’s Democratic Party (PDP) rallies.

The case involves former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, former National Security Adviser, Colonel Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (retd), a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Bafarawa, and Dalhatu Investment Limited, a company linked to the Bafarawas.

They are standing trial on 25 amended counts including misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and receiving stolen property.

Yusuf, testifying as the second prosecution witness, explained that documentation received from ONSA confirmed that contracts awarded for the supply of security equipment were never executed.

“Further investigation showed the money was diverted to other uses,” he said.

He told the court that when questioned, the fourth defendant, Sagir Bafarawa, submitted a breakdown of expenditure which included payments for pilgrimage to Makkah, PDP activities, and funds disbursed to security agencies for election monitoring.

According to bank records tendered in court, beneficiaries of the diverted funds included the Sheikh AbdurRahman Al-Sudais Foundation, chaired by former governor Bafarawa, which allegedly received N500 million. The PDP’s 2015 Sokoto governorship candidate, Abdallah Wali, was also said to have received N580 million through a company for election-related purposes.

Following the testimony, the matter was adjourned to 9–10 December for continuation of the trial and cross-examination by the defence.