EFCC re-arraigns Dasuki, three others over N33.2b arms fraud

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, re-arraigned former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), before Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja, on charges of fraud.

Dasuki was re-arraigned alongside a former general manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited, EFCC disclosed.

The defendants face a 32-count charge, which includes allegations of breach of trust and dishonesty amounting to N33,200,000,000.

One of the charges, Count One, reads: “That you COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD.) whilst being the National Security Adviser, on or about 27th November, 2014, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, entrusted with dominion over certain properties, to wit: the sum of N10,000,000,000 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the equivalent of which sum you received in foreign currencies—$47,000,000 and 5.6 million Euros—purporting it to be for special security services, but dishonestly released the said amount for the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential primary election, thereby committing criminal breach of trust under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4, LFN 2004.”

Count Five reads: “That you COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD.) whilst being the National Security Adviser, between 9th October, 2014, and 17th April, 2015, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, dishonestly misappropriated N1,450,000,000, belonging to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which sum was transferred to ACACIA HOLDINGS LIMITED’s bank account controlled by Aminu Baba Kusa, purportedly for organising prayers, thereby committing an offence under Section 309 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4, LFN 2004.”

Count 19 reads: “That you COL. MOHAMMED SAMBO DASUKI (RTD.) whilst being the National Security Adviser, between 4th April, 2014, and 30th November, 2014, in Abuja, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, entrusted with dominion over certain properties, to wit: an aggregate sum of N4,685,000,000 (Four Billion, Six Hundred and Eighty-Five Million Naira), dishonestly transferred the sum into the bank account of SYVAN MCNAMARA LIMITED, purportedly for physical security infrastructure, whereas the sum was actually released for the People’s Democratic Party’s gubernatorial election campaigns in Ekiti and Osun States, thereby committing criminal breach of trust under Section 315 of the Penal Code Act, Cap 532, Vol. 4, LFN 2004.”

The defendants pleaded “not guilty” to all charges. In response, prosecution counsel Oluwaleke Atolagbe requested a trial date, while defense counsel sought to allow Dasuki and Kusa to continue enjoying their existing bail conditions. The prosecution raised no objections but requested assurance for the defendants’ regular attendance in court during the trial.

Justice Agbaza adjourned the case until July 1, 2025, for hearing.

The case was initially assigned to Justice Hussain Baba-Yusuf of the FCT High Court but has since been reassigned to Justice Agbaza.