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From Sola Ojo, Abuja
The trial of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), continued on Tuesday, January 13, before Justice C.O. Agbaza of the FCT High Court, Maitama, with an EFCC witness tracing how money from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) was allegedly diverted to private companies, property purchases and overseas accounts.
Testifying as the first prosecution witness, EFCC investigator, Dr Michael Adariku, told the court that on 17 April 2015, ₦600 million was transferred from the ONSA account domiciled with Zenith Bank to Acacia Holdings Limited, which had a balance of just over ₦27,000 before the inflow.
He said the funds were later broken into multiple payments linked to the second defendant, Aminu Baba Kusa, a former general manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
According to the witness, ₦60 million from the Acacia account was paid on 23 April 2015 to Hidayatul Atfaaf Islamic Academy as part payment for 3.62 hectares of land in Kyami District, Abuja, bought for Kusa at ₦120 million.
On the same day, ₦25 million was transferred to Zavati BDC Ltd as part payment for a ₦40 million hospitality property, with the balance paid through Kusa’s agent, Ibrahim Saleh Uba, the witness said.
He further told the court that ₦124 million was transferred out on 24 April 2015 without any clear narration of its purpose, while additional payments followed on 27 April, including ₦8.1 million to Uba for survey and documentation of several plots in Abuja and ₦50 million to Squad Developers Nigeria Ltd as part payment for over 118 hectares of land in Kwali, FCT, acquired by Kusa.
Dr Adariku said that on 28 April 2015, ₦55.9 million was paid to Fastman Investment Ltd on Kusa’s instruction.
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He said the company’s chief executive, Farouk Suleiman, later told EFCC investigators that the money was used to facilitate the transfer of $630,000 to a client in Saudi Arabia for medical services.
The witness also disclosed that large sums were paid to Medical Practice Ltd, a company owned by Kusa’s wife, Hauwa, including ₦70 million and later ₦80 million, bringing the total paid to the firm between April and early May 2015 to ₦150 million.
He added that further transfers were made to Namuduka Ventures Ltd and converted into foreign currencies before being sent to bank accounts in the United Kingdom linked to Kusa.
These, he added, included funds converted to $200,000 and €233,944, which were paid into accounts operated by his UK-based companies.
Justice Agbaza adjourned the case until 14 January 2026 for continuation of trial.
Dasuki, Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited are facing a 32-count charge filed by the EFCC over the alleged diversion of ₦33.2 billion meant for arms procurement.
