•Minister: You’re free to compile your own list

Emma Njoku; Iheanacho Nwosu, Abuja

Former president Goodluck Jonathan’s aide, Reno Omokri, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being a major beneficiary of the treasury funds allegedly looted by former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

Omokri, who was reacting to the ‘looters’ list’ released by the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, rubbished the list as one of the jokes of April Fool’s Day, having been released on April 1, a date famous, globally, as ‘Fools Day’. 

In a statement, yesterday, Omokri wondered why the ‘so called looters’ did not include even one member of the All Progressives Congress. “If the list proves anything, it is that President Buhari, Lai Mohammed and their APC are not fighting corruption. Instead they are fighting corruption,” he said.

He alleged that some members of the ruling APC collectively looted over $2 billion.

“I have taken the pains to produce a ‘teaser’ looters list of APC members who are collectively alleged to have looted over $2 billion (when you convert the dollar value of what they allegedly looted at the time they allegedly looted it).

“I challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain why these men did not feature on their list, and why they continue to remain in this APC government where they weild immense powers and influence, even over the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that is meant to prosecute them.

“I further challenge President Buhari and Lai Mohammed to explain to Nigerians why they failed to reveal to Nigerians that President Buhari himself is a major beneficiary of the funds that the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), received from the treasury for the security of Nigerians.”

Omokri further alleged that Dasuki was not in jail for a crime he committed in 2015. Rather, he claimed that Dasuki was being persecuted for a ‘crime’ he allegedly committed in 1985.

However, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the ex-president’s aide was free to draw his own list if he could defend questions that might be raised by those he named.

Mohammed said: “The vice president made a statement that before the elections over N100 billion was looted and shared but the PDP addressed a press conference  to challenge us to name any looter. So we responded. It is illogical to say we didn’t name APC members.

“It is a straightforward matter. The VP made a statement and they challenged us. It is Reno’ s prerogative to name names. If they take him up, he should be ready to defend himself.

“You can compile any name but mine was verified. We gave details of what was looted, who is in court and some have even entered plea bargain. They have forgotten that they were the ones that dared us to name names and we have responded. They are only ranting.”