The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday opened detailed financial records in the ongoing trial of a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), over the alleged diversion of N33.2 billion meant for arms procurement.
The trial continued before Justice C.O. Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, the first prosecution witness (PW1), Dr. Michael Adariku, an EFCC investigator, told the court how funds were allegedly transferred from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to private individuals and companies.
Led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, Adariku said that on April 17, 2015, N600 million was transferred from the ONSA account domiciled with Zenith Bank to the UBA account of Acacia Holdings Limited.
He said the beneficiary account had a balance of N27,094.49 before the transfer.
The witness further testified that on April 23, 2015, N60 million was transferred to Hidayatul Atfaaf Islamic Academy.
According to him, the proprietor of the academy, Mohammed Bashir, told EFCC investigators that the money was part payment for 3.62 hectares of land in Kyami District, opposite Centenary City, along Airport Road, Abuja.
He said the land, valued at N120 million, was acquired by the second defendant, Aminu Baba Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
Adariku said that on the same day, N25 million was transferred in three tranches to Zavati Bureau De Change Limited, owned by Abdulrahman Aliu.
He explained that investigations revealed that the money was part payment for a property valued at N40 million, with the balance allegedly paid through Ibrahim Saleh Uba, described as an agent and business facilitator for the second defendant.
The EFCC investigator also told the court that on April 24, 2015, transfers totalling N124 million were made from the ONSA account without any narration or stated purpose.
According to him, further transfers on April 27, 2015, included N600,157 paid for land-related charges in the FCT; N8.1 million paid to Uba for survey and beacon processing for parcels of land in Kwali, Wasa District, Kyami District, and the Central Area of Abuja; and N50 million paid in five tranches to Squad Developers Nigeria Limited.
Adariku said the owner of Squad Developers, Sunday Gugu, confirmed during EFCC interrogation that the N50 million was part payment for 118.2132 hectares of land at Stadium Layout, Kwali, Abuja.
He said the land was purchased by the second defendant for N75 million, with the balance of N25 million allegedly paid through Uba.
The witness further testified that on April 28, 2015, a total of N55.9 million was transferred in six tranches to Fastman Investment Limited on the instruction of the second defendant.
According to him, the Chief Executive Officer of Fastman Holding Group, Farouk Suleiman, told EFCC investigators that he was contacted to facilitate the transfer of one million dollars to a client in Saudi Arabia, but only 630,000 dollars was eventually transferred.
He said additional naira transfers were made through Reliance Referral Hospital Limited to Fastman Investment Limited to cover the naira equivalent of the 630,000 dollars remitted abroad.
Adariku also told the court that on April 30, 2015, N4.86 million and N29.1 million were transferred to one O.A. Akinrimade, while N70 million was paid in two tranches to Medical Practice Limited, a company allegedly owned by the wife of the second defendant.
He said another N80 million was transferred to Medical Practice Limited on May 4, 2015, bringing the total sum received by the company between April 1 and May 6, 2015, to N150 million.
The witness further said that on May 15, 2015, N23.69 million was transferred in three tranches to Namuduka Ventures Limited.
According to him, investigations showed that the money was converted to 200,000 dollars and transferred to the second defendant’s Blue Lake Management Consultancy account in the United Kingdom.
He added that additional transfers from Medical Practice Limited, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited to Namuduka Ventures Limited, amounting to over N56.3 million, were converted to 233,944 euros and transferred to another UK-based account linked to the second defendant.
Adariku also testified that on May 13, 2015, N23.77 million was converted to 65,075 euros and transferred to a UK clearing account, while N2.22 million was converted to 1,500 euros and transferred to another foreign account allegedly linked to the defendant.
Justice Agbaza thereafter adjourned the case until Jan. 14, 2026, for the continuation of hearing.
Dasuki is standing trial alongside Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited on a 32-count charge bordering on criminal breach of trust and dishonest misappropriation of public funds amounting to N33.2 billion.
