The Platform to Protect Whistleblowers in Africa (PPLAAF) has revealed that former Nigerian National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, fraudulently acquired a 127-acre horse farm worth $1 million in South Carolina, United States (US) in the year 2002.
The agency revealed this via a report on Monday, February 24.
PPLAAF noted that at the time of the purchase, the ex-NSA was the head of the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPM Plc), the entity responsible for producing the country’s currency.
The agency also stated that the investigation was carried out in partnership with the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), The Post and Courier in South Carolina and The Houston Chronicle in Texas, US, shows that Dasuki’s wife applied for an American investor visa, using the farm purchase as her justification.
The PPLAAF indicated that in her visa application, she told US officials that the money came from a $1 million lobbying contract the former NSA secured while leading Nigeria’s Mint.
The contract was intended to influence officials in Ghana on behalf of a Texas-based oil company.
It also noted that US authorities denied the visa application due to concerns over the origin of the funds, though no further steps were taken regarding the farm.
The report partly read, “Former Nigerian National Security Adviser purchased a 127-acre horse farm in South Carolina in 2002.
“At the time, he served as the head of Nigerian Security Printing and Minting, which was charged with, among other duties, printing Nigeria’s currency.
“In an application for an American investor visa based on their million-dollar investment in the horse farm, the ex-NSA’s wife told the US government that her husband obtained the funds through a lobbying contract he had as head of Nigeria’s minting operation.
“She told US officials that the ex-NSA was paid USD 1 million to lobby officials in Ghana on behalf of a Texas-headquartered oil company that sought access to an offshore oil platform, which took place during the time when ex-NSA was the head of Nigeria’s Mint.
“In rejecting the visa application, the US government raised serious questions about the source of the funds used to purchase the property. Still, there is no indication the government took any further action concerning the farm.”
The agency mentioned that the property was given to the Dasuki’s wife and is currently being rented out as an Airbnb and used as a wedding venue.
Adding that, “The farm, which the ex-NSA transferred into his wife’s name, includes an equestrian centre described as having 55 stalls, 16 paddocks ranging from small to large, a quarter mile track, stadium ring equipment with jumps, four horses, four barns, and trails throughout.
“It is now used as an Airbnb rental and wedding venue.”
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