The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday intensified the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), and three others, by presenting additional documentary evidence before an Abuja High Court.
Dasuki, who served under former President Goodluck Jonathan, is facing an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and the alleged diversion of N33.2 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He is being tried alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa, and two companies—Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The EFCC, which re-arraigned the defendants on March 25, accused Dasuki of authorising the release of the equivalent of N10 billion in foreign currencies from ONSA’s account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to fund the 2014 presidential primary election of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
During Friday’s proceedings, the first prosecution witness (PW1), Adariku Michael, an EFCC detective, told the court that the investigation stemmed from an intelligence report dated September 21, 2015, alleging “abuse of office and money laundering.”
Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), Michael said the ONSA transferred huge sums between October 2014 and April 2015 into various company accounts. He explained that a special task force led by ACE Halimah Kazeem was constituted to investigate the transactions, beginning with a formal request to the CBN for records.
According to him, funds from ONSA’s CBN account were traced to several individuals and corporate entities, with the responses from the CBN and commercial banks later tendered and admitted in evidence.
Defence counsel A.A. Usman (for Dasuki), Solomon Umoh, SAN (for Baba-Kusa and Acacia Holdings Limited), and A.O. Ayodele (for Reliance Referral Hospital Limited) reserved their objections to the newly submitted documents.
Justice Charles Agbaza accepted a proposal from Umoh that all parties review the documents in advance to ensure smooth proceedings. The matter was adjourned to November 11 for continuation of the trial.
The case, which dates back to 2015, was earlier adjourned on October 8, 2025, to allow the EFCC update its witness list.
Dasuki and his co-defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges, which include allegations that in November 2014, the former NSA diverted N10 billion, $47 million, and €5.6 million from the CBN—funds meant for special security operations—to support the PDP’s presidential primary.
The alleged offences violate Section 315 of the Penal Code Act.
