Abuja, Nigeria — The specter of alleged corruption under former President Goodluck Jonathan continues to haunt Nigeria, with a viral post resurfacing detailed accusations tied to the infamous $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal. What emerges is a web of denials, confessions, and finger-pointing that paints a troubling picture of mismanagement at the highest levels of government.
The Dasuki Web
At the center lies Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser, who admitted distributing vast sums on Jonathan’s instruction:
“I acted based on Jonathan’s instruction.” – Dasuki
“I didn’t give any order.” – Jonathan
From ₦350 million to Iyorchia Ayu, ₦650 million to Nduka Obaigbena, ₦2.1 billion to Raymond Dokpesi, and billions more shared among politicians and businessmen, Nigeria’s security budget was allegedly converted into a political slush fund. Even spiritual leaders, party chiefs, and media moguls feature in the payout trail.
The Bigger Picture: A Squandered Boom
Warnings at the time were loud:
“Over $20 billion unremitted… Nigeria will face economic crisis.” – Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi
“Over ₦30 trillion mismanaged.” – Prof. Charles Soludo
“Our reserve is depleted, our nation is in trouble.” – Dr. Oby Ezekwesili
“Jonathan had no political will to save during the boom.” – Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
The alleged thefts occurred during Nigeria’s oil windfall years, when crude traded above $100 per barrel. Rather than saving, billions vanished into untraceable channels.
Comparative Analysis: Global Lessons
History shows that when leaders preside over massive corruption, consequences follow — if institutions are strong enough:
Brazil’s Dilma Rousseff was impeached after revelations of Petrobras graft.
South Korea’s Park Geun-hye was jailed for collusion with business cronies.
Peru’s Alberto Fujimori faced prison for corruption and human rights abuses.
Jacob Zuma of South Africa remains on trial for state capture, after billions in contracts were siphoned through allies.
Yet in Nigeria, accountability is slow. The accused still walk free, wielding influence, while the masses bear the cost: inflation, joblessness, and poverty.
The Gen Z Factor
Nigeria’s Gen Z, now over 70 million strong (about 60% of the population), are digitally aware, globally connected, and increasingly impatient with systemic theft. With global peers driving revolutions in Madagascar, Nepal, and Morocco, the stage is set for Nigeria’s youth to demand more. Prolonged inaction on such scandals could ignite a generational backlash.
The Way Forward
For Nigeria, the message is clear:
Investigations must not be selective. No individual, however powerful, should be immune.
Transparency must be institutionalized. Oil revenues, security budgets, and central bank reserves must be subject to open scrutiny.
Youth inclusion is urgent. Authorities must open dialogue with Nigeria’s young citizens to prevent disillusion turning into unrest.
Protests during Jonathan’s tenure of massive looting & corruption
As one angry Nigerian youth wrote online:
“Jonathan was a blessed ATM without ai pin. We are the ones paying for withdrawals we never made.”
Another wrote: It is an insult on Gen z intelligence that a man with such a poor controversial record like Jonathan can come out to say he wants to be President of Nigeria again! What did he forget in Aso Rock? His cartons of Hennessey which impaired his presidential common sense or the stash of hard currency he forgot to remove when the shock & trauma of losing the 2015 elections hit him like a tsunami?” Jona is supposed to be in jail and Tinubu should not have left him walking around free. Anyway, the Gen z will teach him a lesson he will never forget if and when he comes out to campaign. Diezani his partner is still in hiding and he thinks he is free to contest with such indisputable corruption which every Nigerian can see? We are waiting. He will be disgraced beyond belief. ” “He looted our money and wants to return to take more.”
The scandal remains not just about Jonathan, but about whether Nigeria as a nation can ever hold its leaders accountable. Without justice, history may repeat itself — at a cost the country cannot afford
“Nigerians will never forget. Nigerian Gen Z will not forget.
It’s like a ticking time bomb. Jonathan’s misrule of corruption is still fresh in every young person’s mind till he returns the stolen loot. Jonathan definitely has a case to answer not campaign to start”.
Gen Z Patriots
JONATHAN IS SUPPOSED TO BE UNDERGOING CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION;
1. I acted based on Jonathan’s instruction – Dasuki
2. I didn’t give order – Jonathan
3. I collected 350M from Dasuki for consultation – Iyorchia Ayu
4. I only collected $30,000 from Dasuki not N100m – Bode George
5. I got N4.6b from Dasuki for spiritual purposes – Bafarawa
6. I got N650M from Dasuki for my Abuja burnt office – Thisday
Obaigbena.
7. I got N2.1b from Dasuki for publicity – Dokpesi
8. I got another N100m from Yuguda he didn’t tell me from where –
Bafarawa.
9. I gave N100m each to Odili, Jim Nwobodo Bode George and
others-Yuguda.
10. The president asked me to change N10B to foreign currency for
PDP delegates – Dasuki
11. My boss asked me to get $11M from the CBN – Dasuki’s account
officer.
12. I got order from above to pay Tompolo N13B for Maritime
university land. – Nimasa DG.
13. 950m was shared in my house — Shekarau
“Over 20 billion dollars unremitted to the Federation account, and if nothing is done by 2015 upward, Nigeria will know what economic crisis is”
*~ Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi*
“Whoever wins 2015 will NEVER find it easy to govern. Over 30 trillion is mismanaged, unaccounted for or missing under Jonathan.”
*~ Prof Charles Soludo*
“Our reserve is depleted and our savings are squandered. Our nation is in trouble.”
*~ Dr Oby Ezekwesili.*
“For seven months, NNPC did not remit any money into federation account. When I called as a sitting governor and major oil producing state, Deziani Alison Madueke refused to pick my calls.”
*~ Godswill Akpabio*
“I told them to save ahead of eventualities but Jonathan had no political will to do so and this is the reason why we are in crisis, because we squandered our boom.”
*~ Okonjo Iweala*
“Okonjo-Iweala, Sanusi urged us to save but we state Governors refused to save for the unseen future during the tenure of Goodluck Jonathan, despite warning from economic experts.”
*~ Peter Obi*
“Jonathan is a blessed ATM machine that doesn’t have secret pin number”
