From James Ojo, and Godwin Tsa, Abuja

THE Economic and Finan­cial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arrested one Mr. Azibaola Robert, said to be a cousin and close confidant of former Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan, in connection with money meant for procurement of arms to fight Boko Haram which was diverted.

Robert was linked with Katakar Civil Engineer­ing Company and Onep­lus Holding, two compa­nies among the over 300 companies and individu­als indicted by a presi­dential panel that probed contracts awarded by the office of National Securi­ty Adviser (NSA), headed by retired Col. Sambo Da­suki .

The panel, in its sub­mission, indicted over 300 persons and firms and also recovered over N7 billion as disclosed by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, .

Also held, by EFCC, is Dakoru Atukpa, the Exec­utive Director of Projects, Katakar Civil Engineer­ing Company.

Both Azibola Roberts and Dakoru Atukpa had been guests of the anti-graft agency as they were picked up on March 23, 2016 and had since re­mained in custody.

But lawyer to the de­tainee, Gordy Uche (SAN), yesterday, ac­cused the commission of embarking on a vendetta mission against Jonathan, since the Federal Govern­ment, according to him, was “still owing his client $4 million, being balance of the contract sum for successfully securing oil pipelines which saw Ni­geria reap billions of US dollars from increased oil production…”

He challenged the com­mission to either charge his clients to court or re­lease them on bail, while blaming the office of the National Security Adviser of shirking on its respon­sibilities.

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In a related develop­ment, Dasuki’s trial alongside Shuaibu Sal­isu, a former director of Finance and Administra­tion in the office of the NSA; Aminu Babakusa, a former general manager, Nigerian National Petro­leum Corporation; Acacia Holdings Limited and Re­liance Referral Hospital Limited will now com­mence on May 3.

Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, in a state­ment said the case before Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf of the FCT High Court, Maitama, Abuja, met a brickwall yester­day when Joseph Daudu (SAN), the lead counsel to Dasuki, sought a long adjournment to enable his client prepare for his trial.

The four are be­ing prosecuted by the EFCC on a 19-count charge bordering on money laundering and criminal breach of trust to the tune of N13, 570,000, 000, 00

The trial had been stalled at the last sitting due to the absence of the first defendant and his counsel.

The matter was ad­journed to May 3 for commencement of trial.

Also, High Court of the Federal Capital Ter­ritory (FCT) has ordered the Federal Government to allow Dasuki access to his lawyer during work­ing hours to enable him defend himself in the charged brought against him by government.

Justice Hussein Baba- Yusuf gave the order fol­lowing the application by Dasuki’s lead coun­sel, Mr. Joesph Daudu (SAN), that they had no access to him.