The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has re-arraigned former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) and three others before Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, over an alleged fraud involving ₦33.2 billion.

Dasuki was arraigned alongside former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) General Manager Aminu Baba-Kusa and two firms, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

The defendants face a 32-count charge bordering on alleged criminal breach of trust, dishonest release of funds, and misappropriation of public funds.

Their re-arraignment follows the reassignment of the case by the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, who had previously presided over the matter.

Dasuki was initially arraigned on 14 December 2015 alongside Shuaibu Salisu, former Director of Finance and Administration at the Office of the National Security Adviser, on a 19-count charge involving ₦15.5 billion fraud. The charge was later amended, dropping Salisu’s name from the list of defendants.

In May 2018, Dasuki and others were re-arraigned on an amended 32-count charge related to the alleged misappropriation of ₦33.2 billion.

The EFCC had also filed a separate case against Dasuki in 2015 before Justice Baba-Yusuf. In that case, he was charged as the second defendant alongside former Minister of State for Finance Bashir Yuguda, former Sokoto State Governor Attahiru Bafarawa, his son Sagir Bafarawa, and Dalhatu Investment Limited. The 25-count charge in that case involved alleged misappropriation of ₦19.4 billion in public funds. The case has since been reassigned to Justice Yusuf Halilu.

Both cases have witnessed multiple adjournments, primarily due to the Department of State Services’ (DSS) refusal to release Dasuki on bail despite court orders.

At the latest court session, the defendants pleaded not guilty to all 32 charges read against them. The EFCC’s prosecution counsel, Oluwaleke Atolagbe, requested a date for the commencement of trial.

Defence lawyers, including A.A. Usman and Richard Ibiye, urged the court to allow the defendants to continue on their existing bail, arguing that they had never failed to appear for their court hearings.

The prosecution did not oppose the request but stressed the importance of the defendants’ continued presence in court.

Justice Agbaza granted the request and adjourned the trial to 1 July.