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Dasuki’s Request For A Stay Of Proceedings Denied

February 8, 2016

The former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki’s application to seek a stay of proceeding was dismissed today at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

The former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki’s application to seek a stay of proceeding was dismissed today at a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.

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Joseph Daudu, Mr. Dasuki’s counsel, had filed the application to stay the proceeding of the case against his client involving the illegal diversion of $2.1 billion from his office. The funds were intended to pay for the procurement of weapons and equipment for the war against Boko Haram but were instead used to fund political campaigns.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) alleges that the money was sent to various media moguls and officials in exchange for favorable coverage of former President Goodluck Jonathan’s 2015 re-election campaign.

Mr. Daudu filed the request for a stay of proceeding after the former NSA was re-arrested by the EFCC agents despite having qualified for bail.

Mr. Dasuki’s re-arrest, his counsel argued, amounted to a contempt of court on the part of the EFCC given that the former NSA had been granted bail.

However, the counsel for the EFCC Rotimi Jacobs argued that the anti-graft agency operates separately from the Federal Government. Therefore, a granting of bail from the Federal Government did not need to be heeded by the EFCC.

The sitting judge, Justice Huseini Baba-Yusuf, ruled that there was no court order ruling that Mr. Dasuki could not be re-arrested if he was wanted by a law enforcement agency of the government.

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Corruption Legal