*Abdullahi Dikko, was a former Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service
Nigeria’s former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Abdullahi Inde Dikko must be smiling now following the decision of Federal High Court Abuja division. The court dismissed a charge of fraud brought against, Dikko and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
On Wednesday (June 3, 2020), Honourable Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, in a ruling dismissed the charge in a suit number FHC/ABJ/CR/21/2019 in view of the oral application by E. A. Sogunle, ICPC’s lawyer and ordered that the charge be withdrawn under Section 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015.
Sogunle told the court that despite a bench warrant issued on Dikko, who has not attended court since the charge was filed early last year, the prosecution has been unable to arrest him and produce him in court. Dikko was 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 were, among others, accused of inducing the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, to pay over N1.1 billion 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.
