A prosecution witness in the trial of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), on Tuesday told an Abuja High Court that the embattled ex-NSA personally signed the payment mandates authorizing huge transfers to two companies accused in the alleged N33.2 billion fraud case.
Dasuki is standing trial 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 on an amended 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest release of public funds.
The case, filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accuses the defendants of misappropriating security funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), including the alleged release of about N10 billion in foreign currencies from the NSA’s Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) account for the 2014 presidential primary election of the then-ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the first prosecution witness, Adariku Michael, an EFCC detective, told the court that investigations revealed Dasuki’s direct authorization of several payments. Led in evidence by prosecution counsel Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, the witness said the commission wrote to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) to verify the ownership of companies linked to the case.
Read also:
- EFCC declares Former Minister Timipre Sylva wanted over alleged $14.8m fraud
- EFCC honors slain officer, names admin building after him
- DSS, EFCC partner on tackling terror financing
According to him, the CAC’s response confirmed that the second defendant, Baba-Kusa, owned Acacia Holdings Limited and Arabcaria Farms Ltd., while his wife was a major shareholder in Reliance Referral Hospital Limited and Medica Ltd. “Our findings show that Acacia Holdings and Arabcaria Farms are sister companies owned by the second defendant. Reliance Referral Hospital also belongs to him through his wife,” the witness stated.
Michael further testified that Zenith Bank received payment instructions from the ONSA to debit its operational account with ₦600 million and ₦750 million, crediting the amounts to Acacia Holdings’ UBA account and other related accounts. “The payment mandate was duly signed by the first defendant (Dasuki),” he told the court. He added that another ₦200 million was transferred from ONSA to Acacia Holdings’ UBA account.
Counsel to the defendants; A. A. Usman for Dasuki, Solomon Umoh, SAN, for Baba-Kusa and Acacia Holdings, and A. O. Ayodele for Reliance Referral Hospital reserved their objections to the testimony and documents admitted as evidence.
Justice Charles Agbaza adjourned the case until January 13, 2026, for continuation of hearing.
