Dasuki spent N650m on national prayer, says EFCC

An Economic and Financial Crimes Commission witness, Michael Adariku, on Thursday told an Abuja High Court how N1.4bn security vote from the office of the National Security Adviser was diverted.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that Adariku, an EFCC officer of EFCC, made this known when he testified in the trial of Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dasuki is standing trial on 19 counts bordering on alleged diversion of N13.6bn since 2015.

On trial along with Dasuki were Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former NNPC Executive Director, and two others.

Adariku, the first prosecution witness said that the diversion was made through a company owned by a former Director, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Aminu Baba-Kusa.

The company, Acacia Holdings Ltd., was credited with the sum from the accounts of ONSA purportedly for a national prayer to be organised for Nigeria.

The witness, led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), narrated how N650m was transferred from the ONSA’s Zenith Bank account to Acacia Holdings account with Ecobank for the purpose of the said prayer.

He, however, said that from the response of Ecobank, N650m was transferred to various individuals and companies contrary to the purpose it was disbursed for.

Adariku further revealed that on April 20, 2015, N150m was transferred to the account of Baba-Kusa, and that on April 22, another N70m was transferred to one Jubril Abdullahi for purposes not stated.

- Punch