A Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out charges bordering on alleged N1.1 billion fraud against a former Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Abdullahi Inde Dikko.
The case was filed against Dikko by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Commission, ICPC.
It was however struck out following its withdrawal on Wednesday by ICPC’s counsel, Ebenezer Shogunle.
In an oral application for the withdrawal of the charges, he said despite the bench warrant issued against the former Customs boss, it had been impossible to arrest Dikko to stand trial.
It would be recalled that about three months ago, Dikko’s lawyer, Solomon Akuma, explained that his client was critically ill and was away in London, hence the inability to attend the trial as required.
Against the eventual withdrawal of the case on Wednesday, the judge, Ijeoma Ojukwu, dismissed the case.
Others charged along with Dikko are 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.
The anti-graft agency in the charges accused the defendants of making the Managing Director of Cambial Limited, Yemi Obadeyi, pay N1.1 billion into the account of Capital Law firm as a refundable ‘completion security deposit’ for the purchase of 120 units of duplexes as residential accommodation for officers of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The defendants were accused of corruptly benefitting from the money.
