EFCC to re-arraign Ex-NSA Dasuki over alleged N33.2bn arms fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is set to re-arraign former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd) and a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, alongside two companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited—before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) today.

The case, initially before the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, has been reassigned to Justice Charles Agbaza following Baba-Yusuf’s elevation. The defendants, who were first arraigned in 2015, face allegations of money laundering, criminal breach of trust, and misappropriation of funds amounting to N33.2 billion, originally meant for arms procurement to combat Boko Haram insurgents.

Dasuki, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, was first charged alongside others on a 19-count charge in December 2015. The charges were later amended, dropping a co-defendant, Shuaibu Salisu, and increasing the counts to 32. However, the trial had stalled, with only one prosecution witness, an EFCC investigator, taking the stand before the case was adjourned indefinitely.

A separate case involving Dasuki and former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, ex-Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited, is ongoing before Justice Yusuf Halilu. In this case, the defendants are facing a 25-count charge over an alleged N19.4 billion fraud.

Both cases have experienced delays, including Dasuki’s prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) despite multiple court orders granting him bail. The fresh arraignment comes amid pressure on the Chief Judge to transfer the matter due to his administrative workload.