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The long-running trial of ex- Benue State Governor, Gabriel Suswam, over allegations of diverting ₦3.1 billion in public funds has entered its 12th year, with court proceedings yet to reach the defence stage despite the prosecution having concluded its case.

Suswam and his former Commissioner for Finance, Omodachi Oklobia, have been facing prosecution by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) since November 2015 over allegations bordering on money laundering and the alleged diversion of proceeds from the sale of Benue State Government shares in Dangote Cement Plc.

According to the anti-corruption agency, the funds in question, amounting to approximately ₦3.1 billion, were realised from the sale of state-owned shares in the cement company but were allegedly diverted for personal purposes rather than being remitted to government coffers. Both defendants have consistently denied wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Court Orders Defendants to Open Defence

After years of legal arguments, procedural delays and changes in judicial handling of the matter, the case appeared to be approaching a decisive phase in July 2025 when Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a no-case submission filed by the defendants.

In his ruling delivered on July 23, 2025, the judge held that the prosecution had presented sufficient evidence to establish a prima facie case against the defendants, requiring them to enter a defence.

The ruling was widely viewed as a significant milestone in a case that had already spent nearly a decade in the judicial system.

However, despite the court’s directive, defence proceedings have yet to commence almost one year later.

Series of Adjournments Prolong Trial

The court initially scheduled September 25, 2025, for Suswam and Oklobia to begin presenting their defence. However, proceedings failed to move forward as expected.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to January 20, 2026, for the adoption of final written addresses before being shifted again to May 29, 2026.

When the matter came up in May, the hearing could not proceed because the court was not sitting, resulting in another postponement.

Justice Lifu thereafter fixed July 17, 2026, as the new date for the continuation of proceedings.

The repeated adjournments have further extended a case that has already spent more than a decade within Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

Trial Marked by Judicial Changes

Since its commencement, the case has experienced several disruptions arising from judicial transfers, appeals and allegations affecting the presiding judges.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed initially handled the matter after the defendants were arraigned in 2015. However, he stepped aside in 2016 following media reports that questioned his impartiality in the case.

Although he later resumed proceedings, he withdrew again in 2019 after another publication raised similar concerns regarding his continued handling of the trial.

Following his withdrawal, the matter was reassigned to Justice Okon Abang, who proceeded with parts of the prosecution’s case and heard testimonies from some witnesses.

However, the legal battle took another turn when the Court of Appeal ruled that the case file should be returned to Justice Mohammed after an appeal filed by Suswam.

Fresh delays emerged in 2023 when Justice Mohammed was elevated to the Court of Appeal, making it impossible for him to continue handling the matter. The case was subsequently reassigned to Justice Peter Lifu.

EFCC Calls Nine Witnesses

The EFCC eventually closed its case after presenting nine witnesses before the court.

Among those who testified were investigators, officials from the Benue State Ministry of Finance, representatives of stockbroking firms involved in the share transaction and a bureau de change operator.

The prosecution relied on documentary and oral evidence in an effort to establish its allegations that proceeds from the sale of government-owned shares were unlawfully diverted.

Following the close of the prosecution’s case, the defendants sought to have the charges dismissed through a no-case submission. However, the court ruled that sufficient evidence existed to warrant a defence.

Queries Over Delayed Justice

The prolonged nature of the proceedings has continued to attract public attention, particularly because the case remains unresolved more than 11 years after it was first filed.

Legal observers have pointed to the repeated adjournments, judicial reassignments and procedural setbacks as factors contributing to the slow pace of the trial.

Meanwhile, Suswam, who governed Benue State between 2007 and 2015 and later served as a senator, has remained active in Nigeria’s political landscape and is reportedly considering another electoral contest while the criminal case remains pending.Politics

With the next hearing scheduled for July 17, 2026, attention will once again focus on whether the defence will finally begin presenting its case in one of Nigeria’s longest-running high-profile corruption trials.

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The Plateau Advocates for Peaceful Co-existence has faulted former Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, over what it described as a misleading claim that highways leading to Jos are unsafe for travellers.
In a statement issued by its spokesperson, Mr. Bulus Ayuba, the group said Dalung’s remarks amounted to a false narrative capable of demarketing Plateau State and discouraging visitors, investors and residents from carrying out lawful social and economic activities.
Ayuba acknowledged that some rural communities in the state had suffered attacks over the years, but insisted that such incidents should not be used to misrepresent the entire state or diminish its identity as the “Home of Peace and Tourism.”
According to him, the people of Plateau have continued to show resilience, hospitality and unity despite security challenges in some areas.
He urged the public to disregard what he called Dalung’s misleading assertion and continue with lawful commercial, social and economic activities that support livelihoods and promote national cohesion.
The group maintained that major routes from Abuja, Bauchi and Gombe to Jos remain accessible and safe for travellers, adding that business activities are going on unhindered across the state.
It also stated that highways linking Plateau North, Plateau Central and Plateau South are safe for movement.
Ayuba further argued that Jos has remained a safe haven for thousands of internally displaced persons fleeing insecurity from parts of the North-East and other regions of the country.
He said this reality confirms the relative peace, stability and hospitality that Plateau State continues to offer residents and visitors.
“Plateau remains the Home of Peace and Tourism. The fact that some rural communities have endured attacks does not erase the identity, resilience and welcoming spirit of the people,” the statement added.

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…as PAC intensify crackdown on revenue leakages

By Gloria Ikibah

The House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recovered N521,765,134.17 in unremitted Value Added Tax (VAT) from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), marking another milestone in its ongoing investigation into revenue leakages and unremitted government funds.

The recovery emerged from a wide-ranging probe into transactions conducted through the Remita payment platform, an investigation launched following a resolution of the House of Representatives on a motion titled “Investigation of Revenue Leakages Through Remita Platform and Non-Compliance Substantively with Standard Operating Procedure and Other Allied Service Level Agreement.”

The House subsequently mandated the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the allegations and recover all outstanding funds due to the Federal Government.

Under the leadership of Committee Chairman, Rep. Bamidele Salam, the panel has undertaken an extensive review of financial transactions, remittances and compliance obligations linked to the Remita platform, with a focus on identifying revenue leakages and ensuring accountability in government revenue collection.

According to findings by the committee, the Central Bank of Nigeria failed to remit VAT amounting to N521,765,134.17, representing the tax component on fees earned from Remita transactions over a period spanning November 2018 to April 2024.

Following the discovery, the committee directed the apex bank to remit the outstanding amount into the Federal Government Treasury and provide evidence of compliance.

In a letter dated May 7, 2026, the CBN informed the committee that it had complied with the directive and submitted documentation confirming that the entire sum had been paid into government coffers.

Speaking on the recovery, Chairman of the Committee, Rep. Bamidele Salam, said the development underscored the importance of legislative oversight in protecting public funds and promoting accountability across public institutions.

According to him, the recovery demonstrates the effectiveness of parliamentary oversight in safeguarding government revenue and ensuring that all agencies comply with their statutory obligations.

He reiterated the committee’s determination to recover every kobo owed to the Federal Government and close loopholes that enable revenue leakages within public institutions.

The committee disclosed that its engagement with the Central Bank remains ongoing, particularly regarding the reconciliation and recovery of additional outstanding liabilities identified during the investigation.

Among the amounts still under review are unrefunded charges valued at N954,302,576.67 and accrued interest of N2,329,027,728.92, bringing the total recoverable amount in that category to N3,283,330,305.59 for the period between March 1 and October 31, 2015.

The committee is also pursuing the recovery of unrefunded Treasury Single Account (TSA) collections amounting to N8,993,551,555.94, alongside accrued interest estimated at N20,727,241,152.04.

Together, the outstanding TSA-related liability stands at N29,720,792,707.98.

With additional sums still being scrutinised, the total amount under investigation runs into tens of billions of naira.

The Public Accounts Committee said it will continue its hearing into the matter on Monday, June 8, 2026, at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja as efforts intensify to recover outstanding public funds and strengthen financial accountability across government institutions.

The latest recovery adds to a growing list of funds reclaimed by the committee as part of its ongoing drive to ensure transparency, improve revenue collection and prevent losses to the nation’s treasury.