Ex-Customs Boss, Abdullahi Inde Dikko
Security operatives have been ordered to arrest a former
Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Inde
Dikko over his continued 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).
The bench warrant order was given today by a Federal High Court in Abuja by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu.
While ordering Dikko’s arrest on Monday, Ojukwu noted that his
lawyer, Solomon Akuma (SAN) who, on the last adjourned date, undertook
to ensure that his client attend court today, only turned around to
present a medical report, claiming Dikko was critically ill and on
admission in London.
Justice Ojukwu noted that Dikko’s address, as shown on the medical
report – No: N6 Amhed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja – did not support his
lawyer’s claim that Dikko was on admission in a London hospital.
The judge however noted that should the prosecution, in executing
the bench warrant discovers that Dikko is actually on admission in a
London hospital, the execution shall be suspended.
The judge added that otherwise, the prosecution should arrest Dikko
and produce him in court on March 16, 2020 which is the next adjourned
date for arraignment.
In the charge marked: “FHC/ABJ/CR/21/2019, Dikko is named with
two others – 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 – as defendants.
Dikko, Makarfi and Hussaini are, among others, accused of
inducing 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.”
Hussaini was said to have distributed the money into various other
bank accounts and for his part in the deal, he was rewarded with the sum
of $3 million.