The saga of Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA) under President Goodluck Jonathan, stands as one of the most brazen betrayals in Nigeria’s modern history. While soldiers fought Boko Haram insurgents with outdated weapons, and while communities in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa were razed, Dasuki allegedly presided over the looting of over $2.1 billion—funds meant to defend the nation. The so-called “arms deal” scandal was not merely a financial crime; it was a moral and national security catastrophe.
The scandal revealed just how deeply corruption had infected the Nigerian security architecture. Dasuki didn’t just misappropriate funds; he enabled a system where ghost contracts, fake suppliers, and politically connected beneficiaries siphoned off money while citizens and soldiers died.
The Mechanics of a Monumental Heist
At the core of the scandal was the $2.1 billion fund allocated for the procurement of arms and military hardware during the height of Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram. Instead of using the money to equip the armed forces, Dasuki and his associates allegedly diverted it to political allies, campaign activities, and bogus contracts.
A breakdown of the scandal reveals:
•Phantom arms deals: Billions were paid to companies that never delivered a single bullet. No tanks, helicopters, or rifles were supplied—yet full payments were made, with some contracts signed retrospectively.
•Political slush funds: Funds meant for security were routed to politicians, party loyalists, and media influencers in the name of “special duties.” Some were given ₦100 million and above under the guise of “consulting” or “prayers for peace.”
•Shell companies and cronies: Several contracts were awarded to firms that existed only on paper, many of them linked to former PDP officials, close associates of Dasuki, or family members.
While frontline troops were begging for supplies and dying in preventable ambushes, the national treasury was being looted in the name of patriotism.
The Human Cost: Blood for Billions
The greatest tragedy of the Dasuki scandal is not just the financial theft—it’s the human toll. While billions were diverted, Nigeria’s soldiers were sent into battle under-equipped, underpaid, and under-protected. Many were killed not because they were outnumbered, but because their leaders failed to arm them.
•Troops faced Boko Haram with AK-47s from the 1970s, while insurgents used modern weaponry and superior vehicles.
•Some soldiers reportedly refused to fight, citing lack of arms—many were court-martialed and sentenced for mutiny. In reality, they were victims of a corrupt system that abandoned them.
•Thousands of civilians were massacred, abducted, or displaced because the military lacked the equipment and resources that had been paid for—but never delivered.
Dasuki’s actions helped prolong the insurgency and contributed directly to Nigeria’s humanitarian crisis, with millions displaced and thousands of dead.
EFCC, DSS, and a Tainted Judicial Process
Upon the emergence of the Buhari administration in 2015, Dasuki was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Investigations uncovered mountains of evidence: forged documents, fake contracts, illicit transfers, and testimonies from co-conspirators.
Yet, despite the weight of evidence:
•Dasuki was repeatedly granted bail by courts, only for the DSS to rearrest him—fueling a narrative of political persecution rather than transparent prosecution.
•The trial dragged on for years, with deliberate delays, endless adjournments, and weak follow-through from the prosecution.
• In 2019, Dasuki was controversially released “in the spirit of the rule of law,” without any meaningful conviction or restitution of stolen funds.
This botched prosecution gave the impression that the Nigerian elite can steal with impunity—as long as they remain politically relevant or well-connected.
A Symbol of Nigeria’s Deep Governance Rot
Sambo Dasuki’s case is not an isolated incident—it represents a systemic failure of governance, oversight, and moral responsibility at the highest level. It exposed how national security could be sacrificed at the altar of political ambition and greed.
The scandal should have triggered sweeping reforms in defense procurement, but instead, it was buried under political maneuvering and elite compromise. Today, no serious institutional overhaul has been implemented to ensure such a betrayal never happens again.
No Justice, No Closure
Sambo Dasuki may no longer be in detention, but for many Nigerians—especially the families of soldiers and civilians who died avoidable deaths—there is no justice, and no closure.
Until Dasuki and his accomplices are fully prosecuted, and every stolen naira is recovered, the arms scandal remains an open wound. A wound that tells us Nigeria still lacks the will to hold its powerful accountable. A wound that reminds us that in the fight between corruption and country, corruption often wins.
Dasuki did not just steal money—he helped steal lives, trust, and a chance at peace. And history will remember him, not for his title, but for the blood that flowed while he funded elections and lived in luxury.
