Alleged N33.2bn Arms Scam: Witness Explains How ONSA Funds were Diverted

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Trial of a former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), continued before Justice C.O. Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Maitama, with the First Prosecution Witness (PW1), Dr. Michael Adariku, giving a detailed breakdown of the movement of funds from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to private beneficiaries.

According to the Head, Media and Publicity of the Commission, Dele Oyewale, the witness, who was led in evidence by prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, disclosed that on April 17, 2015, the sum of ₦600,000,000 was transferred from the ONSA account domiciled with Zenith Bank (Account No. 1014199287) to the UBA account of Acacia Holdings Limited.

He stated that prior to the transfer, the balance in the Acacia Holdings account stood at ₦27,094.49.

On April 23, 2015, the witness disclosed that a transfer of ₦60 million was made to Hidayatul Atfaaf Islamic Academy.

The proprietor, Mohammed Bashir, upon interrogation by the EFCC, confirmed receiving the sum and disclosed that it represented part payment for the purchase of 3.62 hectares of land located in Kyami District, opposite Centenary City, along Airport Road, Abuja.

The land was allegedly acquired by the second defendant, Aminu Baba Kusa, a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), at a total cost of ₦120 million.

The witness further testified that on April 23, 2015, ₦25 million was transferred to Zavati BDC Ltd, owned by Abdulrahman Aliu, in three tranches of ₦10 million, ₦10 million, and ₦5 million.

According to the witness, following an EFCC interview with Aliu, it was discovered that the payment was part payment for a property known as Hospitality Property Limited, valued at ₦40 million, with an outstanding balance of ₦15 million, which was later paid through one Ibrahim Saleh Uba, identified as an agent and business facilitator for the second defendant.

The witness also disclosed that on April 24, 2015, transfers totalling ₦124 million were made with no clear narration stating their purpose.

He further testified that transfers carried out on April 27, 2015, included ₦600,157 paid for TUD violation of lands in the FCT, and ₦8,100,000 transferred to Ibrahim Saleh Uba as payment to a surveyor for beacon processing on lands purchased by the second defendant in Kwali, Wasa District, Kyami District, and the Central Area, all within the FCT.

Also on the same day, ₦50 million was transferred in five tranches of ₦10 million each to Squad Developers Nigeria Ltd, owned by Sunday Gugu.

The witness stated that following an EFCC interview with Gugu, it was established that the payment was part payment for 118.2132 hectares of land located at Stadium Layout, Kwali, FCT, Abuja, purchased by the second defendant for ₦75 million, with the outstanding balance of ₦25 million paid through Ibrahim Saleh Uba.

On April 28, 2015, the witness revealed that a total sum of ₦55,923,000 (Fifty-Five Million, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Thousand Naira) was transferred in six tranches to Fastman Investment Ltd on the instruction of the second defendant.

The Chief Executive Officer of Fastman Holding Group, Farouk Suleiman, confirmed the transaction during an EFCC interview and further disclosed that he was contacted by the second defendant through one George, a staff member of the then Heritage Bank, to facilitate the transfer of $1 million to a client in Saudi Arabia, Dr. Suleiman Al-Abib of Medical Practice Services. According to the witness, Suleiman disclosed that only $630,000 was eventually transferred to Dr. Al-Abib.

The witness added that transfers were made by Reliance Referral Hospital Limited (RRHL) to Fastman Investment Ltd to make up the naira equivalent of the $630,000.

Other transactions from the ONSA account, according to the witness, included ₦4,861,000 and ₦29,100,000 transferred to one O.A. Akinrimade on April 30, 2015, as well as ₦70 million paid in two tranches of ₦10 million and ₦60 million to Medical Practice Limited, a company owned by the wife of the second defendant, Mrs. Hauwa, who holds 1.8 million shares in the company.

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Testifying further, the witness disclosed that on May 4, 2015, ₦80 million was transferred to Medical Practice Limited and that, “in summary, between April 1 and May 6, 2015, a cumulative sum of ₦150 million was transferred to Medical Practice Limited.”

On May 15, 2015, he revealed that a total sum of ₦23,696,250 was transferred in three tranches of ₦10 million, ₦10 million, and ₦3,696,250 to Namuduka Ventures Ltd, owned by Murtala Bashir.

According to the witness, following an EFCC interview with Bashir, who also serves as chairman of the company, it was revealed that the funds were converted to $200,000 and transferred to the second defendant’s Blue Lake Management Consultancy Ltd account in the United Kingdom.

The witness further testified that additional transfers from Medical Practice Ltd, Acacia Holdings Ltd, and Reliance Referral Hospital Ltd to Namuduka Ventures Ltd, amounting to ₦56,380,593, were converted to €233,944 and transferred to the second defendant’s Furnishing Touches cash card account in the UK.

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He also disclosed that on May 13, 2015, the sum of ₦23,775,000 was converted to €65,075 and transferred to the defendant’s Furnishing Touches clearing account in the UK, while another ₦2,220,000 from Reliance Referral Hospital Ltd was converted to €1,500 and transferred to the defendant’s Business Free MT account in the UK.

The matter was adjourned until January 14, 2026, for continuation of trial.
The Commission had, on Tuesday, March 25, 2025, re-arraigned Dasuki alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba Kusa, Acacia Holdings Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited before Justice Charles Agbaza of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on a 32-count charge bordering on breach of trust and dishonesty involving ₦33.2 billion.

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