The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested a former military governor of Kaduna State and a close associate of President Muhammadu Buhari, Brig-Gen Jafaru Isa (rtd) for alleged complicity in the $2.1 billon arms funds scandal for which former National Security Adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd) is in detention.
EFCC boss, Ibrahim Magu had told a gathering of media practitioners on Wednesday that his men would soon swoop on more high profile Nigerians in continuation of the ongoing battle against corruption.
Isa who was Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996 during the regime of Late General Sani Abacha, is also an ally of Dasuki.
Isa, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) was arrested at his Abuja residence located at Ajayi Crowther Street, Asokoro after he failed to honor an earlier invitation on the excuse that he lost a relative.
Our sources said EFCC operatives stormed his residence around 9pm on Wednesday night and whisked him away a few minutes later.
EFCC Investigators believed the retired soldier received over about $5 million from the arms procurement funds which Dasuki allegedly shared to cronies and PDP chieftains.
Thinkers Newspaper recalls that Isa was a gubernatorial aspirant of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in the 2011 elections in Kano and was neck deep in the struggle for the CPC ticket with his late boss’ son, Mohammed Abacha.
There was a controversial primary election which the two gladiators claimed to have won.
Though Buhari was said to have preferred Isa as the candidate based on his closeness to him, he refused to raise the hand of any of them when he visited the state for his Presidential campaign as the flag bearer of the CPC.
Isa, who at the time of filing this report, is being grilled by EFCC detectives, has been supporting President Buhari’s aspiration since 2003.
He was a member of the Ahmed Joda-led transition committee set up by Buhari and is the first member of the APC to be quizzed by EFCC since the arms funds probe started.
A source in the EFCC confided in Thinkers Newspaper that the commission’s investigations suggested that the $5 million was given to Isa through his former political rival, Mohammed Abacha to buy his support for the re-election bid of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
Abacha who had since become a PDP chieftain also worked for the re-election bid of Jonathan.
According to a competent source in the Presidency, Isa was tipped to emerge ministerial nominee from Kano until the President got wind of his alleged complicity in the arms scandal and therefore chose General Abdulrahman Danbazzau ((rtd) instead.
