National Security Advisor Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.) together with three other defendants appeared again on Tuesday in front of Justice Charles Agbaza at the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) pursues Sambo Dasuki who worked as GM at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) alongside co-defendants Aminu Baba-Kusa and the companies Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited through 32 counts accusing them of a N33.2 billion money scheme. The lawsuit incorporates charges of criminal trust violation alongside dishonest actions involving public money distribution.
The latest courthouse appearance occurs due to the FCT Chief Judge Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf’s recent transfer of case supervision from himself. The EFCC started its legal investigation against Dasuki ten years ago. On December 14, 2015 Justice Baba-Yusuf initially took medical responsibility for the trial of retired General Sambo Dasuki alongside Shuaibu Salisu of the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) for an alleged N15.5 billion charge involving 19 counts. On May 11, 2018, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf approved fresh legal proceedings that dropped Salisu from the charges to replace him with new defendants for a 32-count indictment involving N33.2 billion. The trial came to an indefinite stop after the prosecution introduced one witness who was an investigating officer because his evidence failed to finish before the case was delayed.
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In a separate but related matter, the EFCC in 2015 charged Dasuki alongside Bashir Yuguda, a former Minister of State for Finance; Attahiru Bafarawa, a former Sokoto State governor; Bafarawa’s son, Sagir; and Dalhatu Investment Limited. The 25-count criminal breach of trust and N19.4 billion misappropriation case of Dasuki has been handled by Justice Yusuf Halilu since its transfer from earlier jurisdiction. Multiple court orders granted Dasuki bail but the Department of State Services kept delaying these cases by refusing to let him out.
All defendants made their not guilty pleads when presented with the 32 criminal counts charged against them during the court session on Tuesday. Atolagbe presented on behalf of the prosecution team seeking a trial date yet defense counsel A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye requested the court allow Dasuki and Baba-Kusa to maintain their current bail conditions because they have been present for all previous hearings.
The prosecution voiced no opposition to this condition even though they insisted that all defendants must attend every session of the trial. The court hearing led Justice Agbaza to issue a decision allowing defendants to stay under their current bail conditions before setting July 1, 2025 as the trial date.
This court case remains in spotlight as part of the EFCC’s ongoing operation to investigate financial corruption under National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki during former President Jonathan’s administration.
