A prosecution witness on Tuesday detailed before the Federal Capital Territory High Court how funds released from the Office of the National Security Adviser were allegedly diverted to various companies linked to former Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation official, Aminu Baba-Kusa.
Michael Adarikun, an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) detective, told Justice Charles Agbaza that on April 17, 2015, the ONSA under former NSA Sambo Dasuki transferred N600 million to Acacia Holdings. He said EFCC analysis of Acacia’s UBA account revealed the company had only N27,094 before the deposit.
The witness explained that the funds were subsequently disbursed to multiple entities. On April 23, 2015, Acacia Holdings transferred N60 million to Hidayatul Atfaal Islamic Academy on Baba-Kusa’s instructions as a down payment for 3.62 hectares of land in Kiyami district, Abuja, valued at N120 million.
Adarikun added that Zabati BDC Limited received N25 million in three tranches for Hospitality Property Nigeria, while Ibrahim Saleh later paid the remaining N15 million. On April 24, 2015, N124 million was transferred with no clear purpose, he said.
On April 27, N8.7 million was sent to Saleh for “beacon processing” of lands purchased by Baba-Kusa at Kwali, Wasa district, Kiyami district, and other areas in the FCT. On the same day, Squad Developers Nigeria Limited received N50 million in five tranches for 118.132 hectares of land at Stadium Layout, Kwali, with Saleh later paying the remaining N25 million.
Adarikun further stated that on April 30, over N33 million was transferred to O.A. Akinrinmade, while over N55 million was sent in six tranches to Pasman Investment Limited. Farouk Suleiman, the company’s owner, told EFCC the transfers represented the naira equivalent of $630,000, remitted on Baba-Kusa’s instruction.
On May 15, 2015, over N23 million was transferred to Namuduka Ventures for conversion to dollars. Acacia Holdings, Medical Plastic Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital sent over N56 million in total to Namuduka Ventures, which was converted into 233,944 units and transferred to Baba-Kusa’s Furnishing Touches account in the United Kingdom.
Adarikun also said that on May 13, N23 million was converted to €65,075 and sent to the same account, while another N2.22 million from Reliance Referral Hospital was converted to €1,500 and sent to Baba-Kusa’s Business Free Empty account in the UK.
He added that Baba-Kusa instructed a transfer of $200,000 to Blue-Lake Management Consultancy Limited. Medical Plastic Limited, a company in which Baba-Kusa’s wife, Hauwa, holds majority shares, received N70 million on May 4, 2015, and an additional N80 million on May 6.
The EFCC is prosecuting Dasuki, Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings, and Reliance Referral Hospital on 32 counts of alleged fraud involving the diversion of N33.2 billion in arms funds.
Justice Agbaza adjourned the matter to January 14 for the continuation of the trial.
