Mohamed Garba
Former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retired), along with former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) General Manager Aminu Baba-Kusa and two companies—Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited—were re-arraigned today before the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has brought a 32-count amended charge against them, alleging criminal breach of trust and dishonest release of public funds totaling N33.2 billion.
This re-arraignment follows the reassignment of the case by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, to Justice Charles Agbaza. The defendants had previously been arraigned on similar charges in 2015 and 2018. The EFCC’s amended charges reflect ongoing efforts to address alleged financial misconduct related to arms procurement during Dasuki’s tenure as National Security Adviser.
During today’s proceedings, all defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. The prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, requested a trial date, while defense lawyers A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye appealed for their clients to continue on existing bail terms, citing their consistent attendance at court sessions. Justice Agbaza granted this request and scheduled the trial to commence on July 1.
The upcoming trial is anticipated to shed further light on the alleged misappropriation and its implications for national security and governance.
