The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, re-arraigned Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA), before Charles Agbaza, Justice of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja, on charges of fraud.
Dasuki was re-arraigned alongside Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), as well as two companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
The defendants are facing a 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonesty, involving a staggering sum of N33.2 billion.
According to the EFCC, one of the charges alleges that Dasuki, while serving as NSA in 2014, dishonestly diverted N10 billion from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to fund the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election.
The sum, originally meant for special security services, was purportedly withdrawn in foreign currencies—$47 million and €5.6 million—from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
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Another charge accuses Dasuki of misappropriating N1.45 billion between October 2014 and April 2015, which was allegedly transferred to Acacia Holdings Limited under the pretext of organising prayers.
Similarly, he was accused of dishonestly transferring N4.685 billion to a company, Sylvan McNamara Limited, under the guise of funding physical security infrastructure, whereas the money was allegedly used for the PDP gubernatorial campaigns in Ekiti and Osun States.
When the charges were read, all the defendants pleaded not guilty. The prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, requested a trial date, while the defense counsel urged the court to allow Dasuki and Baba-Kusa to continue enjoying their existing bail.
The prosecution did not object but sought assurances that the defendants would remain present throughout the trial.
Justice Agbaza adjourned the case to July 1, 2025, for hearing.
This case, initially handled by Hussain Baba-Yusuf (Justice) was reassigned to Agbaza.
The re-arraignment is part of the long-running corruption probe into alleged financial mismanagement during Dasuki’s tenure as NSA.
