Buhari’s Associate, Jafaru Isa Becomes First Victim Of An Anti-Graft Agenda His Committee Set For The President

Months ago when former military governor of Kaduna State and chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Brig-Gen. Lawal Jafaru Isa (retd) was busy coordinating an anti-corruption sub-committee for his close friend and the then President-elect, Muhammadu Buhari, little did he know that he would soon be a target of a tough anti-graft script his committee scripted for Buhari.

Isa who is the first APC chieftain to come under the Buhari government’s anti-corruption radar, was arrested by the EFCC late Wednesday night over his alleged involvement in the sharing of $2.1 billion meant for arms purchase by officials of the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

The erstwhile Military Administrator of Kaduna State from December 1993 to August 1996, during the military regime of General Sani Abacha and one-time governorship candidate of the defunct CPC in Kano State, is a close friend of the embattled former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd).

Isa was arrested at his Abuja residence located at Ajayi Crowther Street, Asokoro. Isa’s house was said to have been invaded by operatives of the EFCC around 9pm local time, and then whisked him away a few minutes later.

The retired Brigadier General, was invited last week to appear before the Commission on Wednesday to clear the air on “some questionable receipts” from the former NSA. Investigators believe the retired soldier received over N100million from Col. Dasuki.

It was gathered that rather than honouring the invitation, Gen. Isa wrote a letter to the EFCC through his lawyer, seeking a postponement of his appearance date on the grounds of death of a relative. Apparently dissatisfied with his excuse, the EFCC however arrested him to clarify the “questionable receipts”.

But beyond the drama of the arrest, iReports-ng.com gathered that Isa was a prominent figure in about three committees set up by Buhari to develop a blueprint on key sectors especially on the anti-corruption agenda for his administration. Isa had worked with other prominent Northern leaders including former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Coomassie on some of the committees.

Unfortunately for Isa, months after the inauguration of the Buhari administration, he is the first among the president’s men to fall a victim of an anti-corruption agenda set by them. For months, the men widely regarded as members of Buhari’s inner caucus met at some of the meeting halls within the International Conference Centre, Abuja. Their reports were submitted to Buhari after the inauguration of the APC-led federal government.