Alleged N13.6bn Fraud: Dasuki, Others Docked

Immediate past National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki was on Monday arraigned before an Abuja High Court by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a fresh 19-count criminal charge. Docked alongside Dasuki is former Director of Finance in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, former Executive Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Commission (NNPC), ”ŽAminu Baba-Kusa, together with his companies, Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. Dasuki who alongside others allegedly diverted over N13.6 billion from the national treasury, however pleaded not guilty to the criminal charge, prompting the presiding judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf”Ž to adjourn till Tuesday for entertainment of their separate bail applications. Specifically, the anti-graft agency intimated the court that the defendants supervised the alleged unlawful disbursement of billions of naira from different bank accounts belonging to the office of the NSA. The anti-graft agency maintained that the sum of N13.570 billion was carted away from the national treasury. The said sum was alleged to have been transferred to Acacia Holdings Limited’s account for special prayers; N2.1b given to DAAR Investment and Holding Company Limited for publicity; N170m for a four-bedroom duplex; N380 million to support re-election of members of the House of Representatives; and N750 million paid into Reliance Referral Hospital Limited’s account for special prayers. The anti-graft agency also noted that the investigation shows that N670 million was paid to certain publishers, N260m transferred to Tony Anenih and N345 million traced to a former President of the Senate, Sen. Iyorchia Ayu.