Retired Rear Admiral B.T. Yusuf has challenged allegations linking him to the diversion of Nigerian Navy funds, while offering a different account of the incident at a Kaduna property featured in a recent report by SaharaReporters.
Yusuf, in two statements dated October 13, 2026, disputed the allegations surrounding the alleged diversion of about N2 billion and explained that his presence at the property was connected to the enforcement of a court judgment, according to his account.
The clarification follows an October 11 SaharaReporters publication titled, “Ex-Nigerian Navy Accounts Director Wanted By EFCC Over Alleged N2bn Fraud Seen Moving Freely In Kaduna,” which reported that the retired naval officer had been sighted in Kaduna despite an earlier declaration that he was wanted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
Yusuf Gives Account Of Kaduna Property Dispute
Explaining the circumstances surrounding the property, Yusuf’s report stated that the building had been subject to a court order and that his former wife, Mrs Zainab Samaila Yombe, had allegedly taken possession of it, accommodated tenants and collected rent.
According to the statement, a court ruled in Yusuf’s favour earlier this year, following which he visited the property alongside a court representative and a police representative assigned to facilitate the handover.
The statement said tenants were already occupying the premises when possession was transferred to him.
Yusuf’s account maintained that the occupants were not immediately ejected but were given successive extensions to enable them to secure alternative accommodation.
“The initial two weeks was extended to one month, then to two months, three months, four months, five months, up to the seventh month,” the report stated.
It added that the final notice to vacate was issued four days before the incident described in the statement.
According to the account, the situation escalated when the tenants reportedly said their landlady had instructed them not to leave the property.
The statement alleged that Yombe arrived at the scene and began recording Yusuf after a disagreement over the occupants’ departure.
It further claimed that the video subsequently obtained by SaharaReporters did not capture the full circumstances surrounding the incident.
Retired Admiral Denies Abuse Of Tenants
Yusuf also denied allegations of mistreating the tenants, maintaining that he provided alternative accommodation after they moved their belongings from the property.
“After the tenants packed out their belongings, the same Rear Admiral B.T. Yusuf provided them with an alternative apartment which is better than where they were staying, without collecting any payment from them,” the statement said.
It added that the occupants were allowed to remain in the alternative accommodation until they secured another apartment.
The report maintained that the action taken at the Kaduna property was intended to enforce the court’s decision and return the premises to its rightful owner.
Yusuf Challenges Allegations Of N2bn Navy Funds Diversion
In a separate statement, the retired naval officer denied allegations that Nigerian Navy funds were transferred into his personal accounts.
He challenged those making the allegations to provide evidence of the alleged transfers.
“I challenge those making the allegation to bring forward evidence. Let them bring the evidence where this money moved from Navy account to my account,” Yusuf said.
He also questioned the allegations on the grounds that, according to him, he had never been tried by a court.
“I was not in charge of Navy money. How could I then transfer money from Navy account?” he asked.
Yusuf further argued that the Navy continued to pay salaries during the period in question, despite the allegations concerning the movement of funds.
“At the time I was Director, the Navy received 2 – 2.3 billion Naira for personnel costs and overhead for the month,” he stated.
He questioned whether the Navy could have paid salaries if the funds had been diverted as alleged.
The retired officer described the allegations as baseless and called for the issues to be investigated.
Meanwhile, SaharaReporters’ October 11 publication stated that the EFCC had informed a Federal High Court in Abuja in October 2022 that Yusuf could not be located in connection with charges filed against him.
According to the publication, the anti-graft agency alleged that approximately N2 billion had been transferred from official accounts into accounts linked to Yusuf and another retired naval officer, Babajide Oguntola through a business account operated under the name Bitmas Enterprise.
The report also cited previous court proceedings concerning the freezing of bank accounts and the forfeiture of funds to the Federal Government.
Yusuf maintained that the video circulated by SaharaReporters did not reflect the complete circumstances surrounding the property dispute and insisted that his actions were connected to the enforcement of a court order.
