Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed October 14 for ruling on an application by the Department of State Services (DSS) seeking to re-present exhibits earlier rejected in the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd.), over alleged unlawful possession of firearms.

The DSS, through its lead counsel, Oladipupo Okpeseyi (SAN), urged the court to allow the re-admission of 11 vehicles recovered during a 2015 search of Dasuki’s Abuja residence.

Okpeseyi also made an oral application for the court to visit DSS headquarters to inspect the vehicles, which have been parked there for nearly a decade.

Justice Lifu, apparently surprised by the request, asked about the nature of the exhibits.

The DSS lawyer stated that they were listed as items 18 to 28 on the search warrant and insisted that the court could revisit their admissibility, as they were initially rejected on the grounds of improper foundation, not irrelevance.

Dasuki’s counsel, A.A. Usman, strongly opposed the application, describing it as “strange and unknown to law.” He argued that once an exhibit is rejected by a court, it remains rejected unless overturned by an appellate court.

Usman urged Justice Lifu to dismiss the request, warning that granting it would amount to the judge sitting on appeal over his own ruling.

The court will deliver its ruling on October 14 and continue with the trial thereafter.

Dasuki has been on trial since 2015 on an amended seven-count charge bordering on unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.