The third prosecution witness (PW3) in the ongoing trial of a former Minister of State for Finance, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, a former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (retd), and three others on Tuesday narrated before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) how a company purportedly belonging to politician, Chief Tom Ikimi received the sum of N300 million from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
The witness, Msheila Arhyel, compliance officer with Zenith Bank Plc, made this known in his evidence-in-chief in the ongoing trial.
Yuguda and Dasuki are being prosecuted before Justice Yusuf Halilu, sitting at Maitama, Abuja, by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), on behalf of the Federal Government.
They are being prosecuted alongside former governor Attahiru Bafawara of Sokoto State, his son, Sagir Attahiru, and a company belonging to them, Dalhatu Investment Limited, on an amended 25-count charge bordering misappropriation, criminal breach of trust and receiving stolen money.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge preferred against them in court.
At the resumed hearing in the case today, Arhyel, while being led in his evidence-in-chief by the prosecuting counsel, Rotimi Jacobs SAN, informed the court that sometime in May, 2026, EFCC wrote a letter to Zenith Bank, requesting for information regarding some of its customers.
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The customers, according to the PW3, were ONSA; Jabbama Ada Global Nigeria Limited; Onile Nigeria Limited, which he informed the court had Chief Tom Ikimi as its sole signatory.
“The request asked for the account opening packages and account statements of the three accounts for the period between 2013 and December, 2017 and the bank responded.
According to the bank official, the transactions in the respective account covered January, 2013 and December, 2017.
Narrating how cash transfers were made into the three accounts, including that of ONSA, Arhyel informed that Ikimi’s Onile Nigeria Limited received a total sum of N300 million from ONSA on two different days.
The PW3 informed that the company received the sum of N200 million from ONSA on February 9, 2015, while another N100 million was transferred into the company’s account on February 18, 2015.
He informed that ONSA’s account with Zenith Bank, which had the former NSA, Dasuki and one Salisu as its signatories then, was credited with N500 million by the Central Bank of Nigeria on March 16, 2015,while the amount was disbursed on March 25, 2015.
According to him, a credit inflow of N5 billion was recorded for the account on April 10, 2015, while there was a debit outflow of N27 million from the account on April 16, 2015, with another outflow of N400 million to Jabbama Ada Global Limited.
He added that an outflow of N12.5 million was sent to Jawas Multipurpose Limited from the ONSA account, while a credit inflow of N2 billion entered the account.
The PW3 informed the court that on February 5, 2015, credit inflows of N2 million and N500 million were sent into Jabbama Ada Global account from ONSA.
On January 6, 2015, the PW3 informed the court that there was a credit of N25 million from the Federation Allocation Account Committee (FAAC) secretariat account with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, while another credit inflow of N38 million came into the account on January 7, 2015 from the FAAC secretariat account.
He informed that there were credit inflows of N400 million and N600 million respectively from the National Security Adviser on April 16, 2015.
While being cross examined by counsel for the former minister, A. O. Ayodele, the witness told the court that he did not know the purpose of the transactions.
He informed the court that Jabbama Ada dealt with general contracts, oil and gas, purchase and resale and transportation.
He told the court that there were some transfers made to the defence headquarters, which he highlighted in court.
Under cross examination by counsel for former governor Bafarawa and his son, Professor James Olatoke SAN, he told the court that he did not know the relationship between ONSA and Jabbama Ada.
Meanwhile, Justice Halilu has adjourned the case to November 17 for continuation of hearing.
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