Nigeria slams 22-count corruption charge against ex national security adviser

LAGOS, Nigeria

Nigeria on Monday arraigned former National security adviser Sambo Dasuki on a 22-count corruption charge for the alleged misappropriation of N13 billion ($65 million) in funds meant for arms purchases for the troops fighting the Boko Haram insurgency in the country's northeastern region.

Dasuki was arraigned at a court in the capital city Abuja alongside two other former government officials - Aminu Baba Kusa and Salisu Shuaibu -with whom he allegedly colluded to misappropriate the funds in violation of the "provisions of Section 315 of the Nigerian Penal Code Act and Section 17 (b) of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Act of 2004."

While Baba Kusa was a director in the state-owned Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, Shuaibu was a director in the office of the National Security Adviser.

A number of former top government officials, mostly belonging to the former ruling Peoples Democratic Party, have also been arrested in connection with the funds which antigraft agencies said had been diverted to fund electoral campaigns.

Dasuki has not yet made a plea, but officials close to the former security chief say there are indications he would plead not guilty as he acted according to a "presidential directive."

In statements the antigraft agencies leaked to the local media, Dasuki had stated he gave out money to a number of top People's Democratic Party politicians to run the presidential campaign for the former president Goodluck Jonathan.