Ex-adviser charged in $2.1 billion arms scandal

Mr Dasuki was charged on 19 counts of fraud, money laundering and criminal breach of trust at the high court hearing in the capital Abuja.

Two corporate bodies- Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited, were also charged before Justice Husseini Baba Yusuf for the alleged offences.

Strong indications have emerged that the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under the leadership of retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki procured bullet proof vehicles for all former heads of state and presidents of Nigeria.

Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) who led the prosecution team in separate counter-affidavits to the bail applications, said the accused persons could abscond if granted bail by the court. He allegedly told the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission that he collected $47m and €5.6m (£4m) stuffed into 11 suitcases from the Central Bank at night and delivered it to Dasuki’s home in November 2014, according to an officer at the commission who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The main charge alleges that 10 billion naira out of the total was used to fund the previous administration’s election campaign in an agreement between Dasuki, Salisu and a presidential assistant now on the run, the EFCC said.

Nigeria on Monday arraigned former National security adviser Sambo Dasuki on a 22-count corruption charge for the alleged misappropriation of N32 billion ($160 million) in funds meant for arms purchases for the troops fighting the Boko Haram insurgency in the country’s northeastern region. Justice Kolawole said in the event that any government agency wants to investigate him, the agency should write him through his lawyer who should produce him for interview or investigation between the hours of 10a.m. and 6.30p.m.

The second surety, he ordered, must be an entrepreneur who has paid tax for at least the last three years.

The court then adjourned to February 17 for the start of the trial. It would be recalled that EFCC, about a week ago, arrested Dokpesi and former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa, in connection with the ongoing investigation into arms procurement by the NSA during the Goodluck Jonathan administration.