The trial of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), and four others resumed on Wednesday, January 14, before Justice C.O. Agbaza of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, with further testimony on the alleged diversion of public funds meant for arms procurement.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had on March 25, 2025 re-arraigned Dasuki alongside Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited before the FCT High Court on a 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest misappropriation of N33.2 billion.

The first prosecution witness, PW1, Dr. Michael Adariku, an investigator with the EFCC, continued his evidence-in-chief, giving a detailed account of how funds were allegedly transferred from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to private individuals and companies.

Led by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness disclosed that investigations showed that funds from ONSA were paid into a United Bank for Africa (UBA) account belonging to Acacia Holdings Limited.

According to him, an analysis of the account revealed several transactions inconsistent with the stated purpose of the funds.

He told the court that on May 15, 2015, Acacia Holdings’ UBA account recorded a transfer of N119,687.50 to IBB Golf Club, as well as three separate payments to the Abuja Geographic Information Systems (AGIS) for ground rent

On May 28, 2015, N800,000 was transferred to Aravcaria Farms Limited, while N2.5 million was paid to Mohammed Zaharadeen Baba Kusa, son of the second defendant, Aminu Baba Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The witness further revealed that N600 million and an additional N200 million were transferred to Acacia Holdings’ UBA account, while N650 million was paid into its Ecobank account.

Another N750 million, he said, was transferred to Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s First Bank account.

He explained that the total sum of N2.2 billion formed part of N5 billion released by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from its Signature Bonus account to ONSA’s Zenith Bank account in April 2015.

According to the witness, the N5 billion was approved to provide security for the 2015 gubernatorial and state houses of assembly elections.

However, investigations showed that the funds were allegedly diverted and used for personal interests and businesses linked to the second defendant.

Dr. Adariku also testified that the EFCC wrote to the CBN to trace the source of funds paid into Acacia Holdings’ Ecobank account.

He said the response showed that the transfers were backed by payment mandates from ONSA, duly signed by the former NSA and the then Director of Finance and Administration, S.A. Salisu.

The documents were tendered and admitted in evidence as Exhibits F and G1–G20.

He explained that Exhibit F was the ONSA funds transfer mandate, while Exhibit G was the Ecobank statement of account of Acacia Holdings, which reflected a N650 million transfer from ONSA on April 17, 2015, and, from the account analysis, the witness said that subsequent transfers included payments to the second defendant, N70 million to one Jubril Abdullahi, and N50 million to the second defendant’s account.

He added that other transactions included N10 million transferred to another Acacia Holdings account, N2 million paid to a staff member, Suraya Maigida, and several payments to Ibrahim Saleh Uba, including sums allegedly used for the purchase of large parcels of land in Kwali and Wuse 2, Abuja.

The witness also disclosed that N20 million was paid to EC Associates and that a final withdrawal of N250 million was recorded as “miscellaneous customer debit”.

Dr. Adariku told the court that during EFCC investigations, both the first and second defendants were invited as suspects, adding that the second defendant honoured the invitation, was interviewed in the presence of his lawyer and made voluntary statements after being informed that the allegations bordered on money laundering and abuse of office.

However, when the prosecution sought to tender the statement in evidence, counsel to the second and fourth defendants objected, citing alleged violations of Sections 15(4) and 17(3) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

The objection prompted the court to order a trial-within-trial to determine the admissibility of the statement.

Justice Agbaza adjourned the matter to February 24 and 25, 2026, for continuation of trial.

(The Sun)