Justice Ojukwu Orders Arrest Of Ex-Customs Boss Abdullahi Dikko 

A warrant has been issued for the arrest of former Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Abdullahi Inde Dikko, by a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday.

The court issued the warrant after Dikko refused to honour its summons over charges of fraud brought against him and two others by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).

The arrest warrant was issued by Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the said court.

In issuing the arrest warrant, Justice Ojukwu noted that Dikko’s lawyer, Solomon Akuma (SAN), had previously pledged to ensure his client honours the invitation to appear before the court.

Instead of presenting Dikko at the scheduled hearing on Monday, Akuma was said to have presented a medical report, claiming that his client was ill and on was admission in London.

Ojukwu noted flaws in the medical report submitted by Akuma. 

The judge said Dikko’s address on the medical report (No: N6 Amhed Musa Crescent Jabi, Abuja) contradicts his lawyer’s claim that his client was on admission in the British capital.

Ojukwu consequently ordered that Dikko should be arrested and arraign him before the court on March 16, 2020.

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 received $3 million as his share of the deal after helping to distribute the money into different bank accounts.