Rita Odafe
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has presented Sahibu Salisu as a witness in the ongoing trial of Ayodele Fayose and his company at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
Fayose, a former governor of Ekiti State, is facing allegations of money laundering and stealing involving N6.9 billion.
The witness, a former Director of Administration and Finance, testified about payments made to a firm called Sylvan MacNamara for security purposes on the instruction of a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
Salisu detailed the payment process, stating that funds were primarily used for operational activities related to security.
He explained that all payments from the National Security Adviser’s office were intended for security-related activities and structures.
Salisu also mentioned the procedures involved in raising payment mandates and obtaining approval for disbursements.
He confirmed that no one questioned the instructions from the National Security Adviser’s office regarding the payments.
During cross-examination, Salisu clarified that his responsibilities did not extend to security matters, and he was not privy to whether the funds were retired after being disbursed.
The defense counsel sought permission for the first defendant to travel abroad for medical reasons, a request that was granted by the court without objection from the prosecution.
The trial is set to resume on October 18, 2024.
