Alleged N33.2bn Arms Fraud: EFCC Re-arraigns Ex-NSA, Dasuki

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday re-arraigned former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and three others in an Abuja High Court over an alleged N33.2 billion fraud.

Dasuki was arraigned alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), along with two companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited,

The fresh arraignment before Justice Charles Agbaza followed the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who previously handled the matter, reassigning the case.

Dasuki was first arraigned alongside Shuaibu Salisu, former Director of Finance and Administration, Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), before Justice Baba-Yusuf on Dec. 14, 2015, on a 19-count charge.

The charge concerned alleged N15.5 billion fraud. The prosecution later amended the charge because Salisu’s name was dropped from the charge.

On May 11, 2018, Dasuki and others were re-arraigned on an amended 32-count charge, of criminal breach of trust, dishonest release and receiving various sums of money to the tune of N33.2 billion.

The prosecution had only called one witness, the investigating officer of the alleged arms sleaze, and was yet to conclude his evidence-in-chief when the case was adjourned sine die.

The anti-corruption commission instituted two separate cases against Col Dasuki in 2015 before Justice Baba-Yusuf, now the chief judge of FCT.

In the other case marked FCT/HC/CR/42/2015, Dasuki was charged as the second defendant alongside a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda.

Also charged alongside Dasuki is a former Sokoto State governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir and his company, Dalhatu Investment Limited.

They are facing a 25-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds to the tune of N19.4 billion