Governor, Bureau de Change linked to millions stolen by soldiers

Though media reports have speculated the amounts stolen as ranging from N400m to billions, however, findings by Saturday Sun revealed that the exact figure stolen from the VIPs by the rogue soldiers was N65million and $80,000.

A manhunt launched for the soldiers was yet to yield any success as at the time of going to press on Friday night.

Findings by this paper also reveal Gen. Otiki who hails from Ikorodu area of Lagos state has about two years more in service and was primed as one of the likely successors of the current Chief of Army staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Yusuf Buratai before the scandal. Another favoured army chief tipped for the position of COAS is the newly promoted Lt. Gen. Lamidi Adeosun but he is due to proceed on terminal leave next month, August except that is waived.

Efforts to get the Defence and Army headquarters react to the latest development failed. However, Saturday Sun was able to locate Alhaji Ado, the BDC operator at his Hamdala Hotel business office during the week. When asked about his involvement in the incident, he looked ruffled and said, “I don’t know what you are talking about. It is a rumour. You can go back to where you heard it.”

Two days after, precisely on Thursday when our correspondent called Ado’s mobile phone number, one of his colleagues who picked the call said he was not the one who suffered the loss but his partner. When he was asked to hand the phone over to Ado, the line was cut. By Friday morning, the GSM line has been totally switched off. Though it was gathered that the military probe panel was scheduled to interrogate Alhaji Ado by Thursday, it was not clear yet whether he has been taken in for interrogation or he has deliberately gone underground.

This paper also learnt that the probe panel may recommend Gen. Otiki for sanction “for indiscretion”, while their report on the involvement of the Northwest state governor and his bureau de change VIP friends may be transferred to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, for further investigation of a possible money laundering case. (Saturday Sun)