Joy Yesufu, Abuja
The Federal High Court in Abuja has set a September deadline for the Federal Government to conclude the prosecution of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), over charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
Justice Peter Lifu directed the Federal Government to present any remaining witnesses and submit additional exhibits in support of the charges on September 24, 25, and 26, 2025. This marks a decisive step in a decade-long trial that has seen numerous delays.
Dasuki, who was first arraigned in 2015, is facing a seven-count amended charge. The court has also indicated that once the prosecution concludes its case, the defense will be allowed to open its arguments.
At the last hearing, prosecution witness Monsur Mohammed, an exhibits keeper with the State Security Service (SSS), testified that following Dasuki’s arrest, searches were conducted at his residences in Abuja, Kaduna, and Sokoto. The items seized during these searches include arms, cash, and various documents.
Among the items recovered from Dasuki’s Abuja residence at 46, Nelson Mandela Street, Asokoro, were two compact discs from Freedom Radio on Jokolo, two GT Bank cheque books, two Blackberry phones, a Nokia phone, flash drives, an Apple laptop, and a statement of account. Also recovered were a Visa card, an approval letter for a radio station granted to Afri-Media Integrated Ltd, 500 US dollars, and 533 Saudi Riyals. Additionally, an HSBC account book and a cheque book from Habibson Ltd were found.
The court admitted these items as Exhibits MSD 015 to 034, after no objections were raised by Dasuki’s lawyer, Ahmed Usman.
Further searches at Dasuki’s Sokoto residence in Sabo Birni revealed 150,000 US dollars, which were subsequently deposited with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The prosecution indicated plans to bring the cash to court for formal tendering as evidence. No items were found at another property located on Sultan Abubakar Road, Sokoto.
The prosecution requested an adjournment to allow them to bring additional items recovered during the searches to court. Justice Lifu granted this request, urging the Federal Government to prepare to conclude its case against Dasuki and for the defendant to begin his defense.
The case is set to resume on September 24, 2025, with the court emphasizing the urgency of concluding this long-pending trial.
