A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Dikko.
Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu issued the warrant over Mr Dikko’s sustained failure to attend court to answer to a charge of fraud brought against him and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
Dikko’s lawyer, Solomon Akuma, on the last adjourned date, promised to ensure his client’s presence in court.
Mr Akuma, however, presented a medical report on Monday, claiming Dikko was critically ill and hospitalised in London.
Justice Ojukwu noted that Dikko’s address, as shown on the medical report – 6, Amhed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja – did not support his lawyer’s claim that he was admitted in a London hospital.
The judge said that if Dikko was actually hospitalised in London, the prosecution should suspend effecting the arrest warrant, but if found to be otherwise, the prosecution should arrest Dikko and produce him in court on March 16, 2020, the next adjourned date for arraignment.
ICPC alleges in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/21/2019 that Dikko and others induced the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, to pay N1.1 billion (N1,100, 952,380.96) into the account of Capital Law Office as a refundable ‘completion security deposit’ for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Others named in the charge as defendants are a former Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs in charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services, Garba Makarfi; and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer and owner of Capital Law firm.
ICPC alleges that Hussaini distributed the money into various other bank accounts and was rewarded with the sum of $3 million.
