The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, and ex-Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) General Manager, Aminu Baba-Kusa, over an alleged N33.2 billion arms fraud.
Their fresh arraignment took place before Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court alongside two companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
Court Proceedings
During the hearing, the 32-count charge was read to the defendants, who all pleaded not guilty. The prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, requested a date for trial, while the defense lawyers urged the court to allow their clients to continue on their existing bail conditions. The prosecution did not oppose the bail request, and the judge granted it.
The case was adjourned to July 1, 2025, for trial.
Background of the Case
Dasuki was initially arraigned on December 14, 2015, alongside Shuaibu Salisu, former Director of Finance and Administration at the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), over an alleged N15.5 billion fraud. However, the charges were later amended after Salisu’s name was removed.
By May 11, 2018, the prosecution re-arraigned Dasuki and others on an amended 32-count charge, involving criminal breach of trust and dishonest release of N33.2 billion. The trial has since faced multiple delays, with the prosecution calling only one witness before the case was put on hold indefinitely.
Additionally, in a separate case filed in 2015, Dasuki was charged alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, over an alleged N19.4 billion misappropriation of public funds. The case has also suffered multiple adjournments.
Dasuki, a retired military officer, served as NSA under former President Goodluck Jonathan and has been at the center of several corruption-related cases linked to the alleged diversion of funds meant for arms procurement.
