Former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd.), and three others have been re-arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja over allegations of mismanaging N33.2 billion in public funds.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) presented the case against Dasuki, alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, as well as two companies—Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The defendants are facing a 32-count charge, which includes allegations of criminal breach of trust and the illegal disbursement of government funds.
The re-arraignment took place before Justice Charles Agbaza after the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, reassigned the case. Previously, Justice Baba-Yusuf had handled the case but was later replaced.
Dasuki was initially arraigned on December 14, 2015, on a 19-count charge involving N15.5 billion. At that time, he was charged alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the National Security Adviser. However, the charges were later modified, and Salisu’s name was removed. On May 11, 2018, Dasuki and the remaining defendants were re-arraigned on fresh charges totaling N33.2 billion.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, progress in the trial has been slow. The prosecution previously presented only one witness, an investigating officer, whose testimony was never completed before the case was put on hold indefinitely.
In a separate case filed by the EFCC in 2015, Dasuki was also charged alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir Bafarawa; and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited. This case, which involved a 25-count charge related to N19.4 billion, was recently transferred to Justice Yusuf Halilu.
Both cases have faced multiple delays, mainly due to the Department of State Services’ refusal to release Dasuki on bail, despite court orders.
At the court session on Tuesday, Dasuki and the other defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.
Following this, the prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, requested that a trial date be set. Lawyers representing Dasuki and Baba-Kusa, A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye, urged the court to allow their clients to continue on their existing bail, assuring that they had always been present for proceedings.
The prosecution did not oppose the request but noted the need for the defendants to consistently attend court sessions.
After reviewing the arguments from both sides, Justice Agbaza ruled that the defendants would remain on bail. The case was then adjourned to July 1 for further proceedings.
