A prosecution witness on Tuesday recounted before the Federal Capital Territory High Court how money originating from the Office of the National Security Adviser was allegedly funneled into several companies linked to Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former senior official of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.
NAIJAONPOINT , Michael Adarikun, a detective with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), told Justice Charles Agbaza that on April 17, 2015, the ONSA, under former NSA Sambo Dasuki, transferred N600 million to Acacia Holdings.
According to him, EFCC checks on Acacia’s UBA account showed the company had a balance of just N27,094 prior to the inflow.
He narrated that the money was subsequently distributed to different companies and individuals.
On April 23, 2015, Acacia Holdings paid out N60 million to Hidayatul Atfaal Islamic Academy on Baba-Kusa’s orders as part payment for a 3.62-hectare parcel of land in the Kiyami district of Abuja, a property valued at N120 million.
Adarikun added that Zabati BDC Limited received N25 million in three instalments for Hospitality Property Nigeria, with one Ibrahim Saleh later settling the remaining N15 million.
He also said that on April 24, 2015, a further N124 million was transferred without a stated purpose.
On April 27, he testified that N8.7 million was transferred to Saleh for “beacon processing” on lands allegedly acquired by Baba-Kusa across several locations, including Kwali, Wasa district and other areas of the FCT. That same day, he said, Squad Developers Nigeria Limited got N50 million in five tranches for 118.132 hectares of land at Stadium Layout, Kwali, while Saleh provided an additional N25 million.
He continued that on April 30, more than N33 million was moved to O.A. Akinrinmade, while Pasman Investment Limited received upwards of N55 million via six transfers. Farouk Suleiman, identified as Pasman’s owner, told investigators that these sums were the naira value of $630,000, remitted on Baba-Kusa’s instruction.
Adarikun also explained that on May 15, 2015, over N23 million was wired to Namuduka Ventures for conversion into foreign currency.
He said Acacia Holdings, Medical Plastic Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital jointly transferred more than N56 million to Namuduka Ventures, which was exchanged into 233,944 units and sent to Baba-Kusa’s Furnishing Touches account in the United Kingdom.
He testified further that on May 13, an additional N23 million was converted to €65,075 and transferred to the same account, while another N2.22 million from Reliance Referral Hospital was exchanged for €1,500 and paid into Baba-Kusa’s Business Free Empty account, also in the UK.
The detective added that Baba-Kusa authorised another payment of $200,000 to Blue-Lake Management Consultancy Limited. Meanwhile, Medical Plastic Limited — a company said to be majority-owned by his wife, Hauwa — collected N70 million on May 4, 2015, and N80 million two days later.
The EFCC is prosecuting Dasuki, Baba-Kusa, Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital on a 32-count charge over the alleged diversion of N33.2 billion earmarked for arms procurement.
Justice Agbaza scheduled the case to resume on January 14 for further proceedings in the trial.