Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed September 24, 25, and 26 as the final dates for the federal government to conclude its decade-long prosecution of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
The case, which began in 2015 under the administration of the late President Muhammadu Buhari, involves allegations of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
The court directed the prosecution to call any remaining witnesses and tender all outstanding exhibits to back its claims.
Justice Lifu stressed that the matter must reach a conclusion within the newly fixed dates.
Dasuki, who has consistently maintained his innocence, is expected to open his defence once the government closes its case.
FG presents witnesses, evidence against Dasuki
During the last hearing, a prosecution witness, Monsur Mohammed, an exhibits keeper with the Department of State Services (DSS), testified that multiple searches were conducted on Dasuki’s residences in Abuja, Kaduna, and Sokoto.
He listed several items recovered from the Asokoro home in Abuja, including two Compact Discs of Freedom Radio on Jokolo, two GT Bank cheque books, three mobile phones, a flash drive, an Apple laptop, and a bank statement.
Other items seized included a visa card, a radio station approval letter for Afri-Media Integrated Ltd, a CD relating to the arrest of Mohammed Yusuf, 500 US dollars, 533 Saudi Riyals, and documents linked to Abubakar Dasuki Ibrahim, along with HSBC and Habibson Ltd cheque books.
The court admitted these as exhibits numbered MSD 015 to 034, with no objection from Dasuki’s lawyer, Ahmed Usman.
In Sokoto, the DSS reported that $150,000 and ₦37.6 million were recovered from one of Dasuki’s houses in Sabo Birni and deposited at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
At another Sokoto residence on Sultan Abubakar Road, nothing incriminating was reportedly found.
Prosecution counsel, Oladipupo Okpeseyi (SAN), informed the court that he would arrange for the recovered cash to be brought in as physical evidence.
Following the request for more time to tender all items retrieved under four search warrants, Justice Lifu granted an adjournment and reiterated his order for the government to be ready to close its case.
Dasuki will then be required to present his defence on the specified September dates.
