By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Justice Aliyu Mayaki of the High Court in Minna has ordered that former Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger state and his erstwhile Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko be remanded in the Minna Medium Security Prison till the 3rd of May pending the ruling on the bail for application sought by counsels to the accused in the case of financial impropriety brought against the two by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC.)
Though the case against the two is to open on the 12th of June, 2017, the bail application sought for by the accused is to be heard on Wednesday, 3rd of May, 2017.
The presiding Judge, Justice Aliyu Mayaki said when the case opens, it would be heard on daily basis from the 12th of June till the 16th of June, 2017.
The trial of former Governor came underway Tuesday at the High Court II in Minna, Niger state, his home state amidst heavy security and threats on the sidelines by supporters of the embattled former Governor.
Babangida Aliyu was invited by the anti graft operatives to their head office in Abuja about three weeks ago and has been with them since then till Tuesday morning.
He and Umar Nasko were brought to the Minna High Court at exactly 8:40 Tuesday morning on board a black coloured Toyota Land Cruiser Jeep with registration number NPF 6914C and were quickly led into the Court room.
However, on the sidelines, the combined security team including SSS, Police and Civil Defence operatives had hectic time controlling crowd that had milled around the roads leading to the Hight Court ahead of the trial despite Police earlier warning for people to stay away from the Court.
Tens and hundreds of pro-Babangida Aliyu supporters who thronged the area adjoining the highway to the High Court lined up the road chanting anti-APC slogans and demanded ing the release of the former Governor.
They gathered meters away from the court premises, chanting, “in Talba we trust, “Talba we know”, “EFCC is a political hunting dog”, “free Talba”.
In the Court room, the lead Counsel to the EFCC, Gbolahan Latona had levelled a six count charge on both Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu as the 1st defendant and Umar Mohammed Nasko as the 2nd defendant.
The accused are to be led in defense by a team of legal big wigs led by Ayodele Oladeji and Mamman Mike Osuman.
When the charges were read to the accused, they both pleaded not guilty to all the six charges levelled against them.
The offences range from misappropriation of N4, 568,680,600 belonging to Niger state. Counsel to the EFCC who read the charges said the six count charges levelled on the accused are that “Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (former Governor of Niger state as Governor and Umar Nasko (as Commissioner for Ministry Environment/Chief of Staff) between 1st January, 2011 and 31st May, 2011, conspired within yourselves to commit an illegal act to wit; criminal breach of trust and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code.
Count two, that you, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu between 1st January and 31st May, 2011 dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N520,348,000 which was withdrawn from Niger state Government House Security Account number 1012424374 domociled in Zenith Bank Plc and you thereby committed the offence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.
Count three, that you, Dr Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu sometimes between 1st January and 31st December 2011 dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,725,837,000 which was withdrawn from Niger state Government House Security Account number 1012424374 domociled in Zenith Bank Plc and you thereby committed the offence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.
“Count four, that Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu as Governor and Umar Nasko (as Commissioner for Environment/Chief of Staff) between 7th April and 7th December, 2014 while being entrusted with dominion over money belonging to Niger state government, dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N1,090,000,000 which formed part of the proceeds of the sale of 16 percent shares of Niger state in North South Power company Limited and you thereby committed the offence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.
Count five, that you, Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu as Governor and Umar Nasko (as Commissioner for Ministry Environment/Chief of Staff) between 7th May and 30th December, 2014 dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N800,000,000 which sum forms part of the Ecological Funds meant for Environmental/Ecological consultancy Project by the Niger state Ministry of Environment for Zone B of Niger state and you thereby committed the offence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.”
Count Six, “that you Dr. Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu as Governor and Umar Nasko (as Commissioner for Ministry Environment/Chief of Staff) between May and 30th December, 2014 dishonestly converted to your own use the sum of N432,495,600 which sum forms part of the Ecological Funds meant for Environmental/Ecological consultancy Project by the Niger state Ministry of Environment for Zone B of Niger state and you thereby committed the offence contrary to section 311 of the Penal Code punishable under section 312 of the same code.
