Court orders arrest of Dikko, ex-customs CG, for ‘absconding’ from trial

A federal high court in Abuja has issued a warrant of arrest against Abdullahi Dikko, a former comptroller-general of the Nigeria customs service.

Ijeoma Ojukwu, the judge made the order on the grounds that Dikko has consistently failed to show up for trial.

At the court session on Monday, Solomon Akuma, Dikko’s lawyer presented a medical report, claiming Dikko was critically ill and on admission in London.

But the judge said Akuma had on the last adjourned date, promised to produce his client in court.

She said the address on the medical report (No: N6 Ahmed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja) does not support his claim that his client is in a London hospital.

Ojukwu asked the prosecution to set aside the arrest warrant if they find out that Dikko is indeed in a London hospital. If not, he should be arrested and brought to court on March 16, 2020.

Dikko is being prosecuted by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) alongside Garba Makarfi, former assistant comptroller-general of customs in charge of finance, administration and technical services, and Umar Hussaini, a lawyer.

ICPC accused Dikko of inducing one Yemi Obadeyi, an Abuja estate developer, to pay the total sum of N1,100, 952,380.96 into the account of Capital Law Office (a company belonging to Hussaini) for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the customs.

In 2017, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered 17 exotic vehicles from Dikko’s warehouse in Kaduna.

In November 2019, Nnamdi Dimgba, judge of a federal high court in Abuja ordered the EFCC to discontinue its case against the former customs comptroller-general following the non-prosecution agreement entered into by Abubakar Malami, attorney-general of the federation (AGF), and Dikko.

Dikko had reportedly returned N1.5 billion, which is alleged to be proceeds of crime, to the government.