A Minna High Court has discharged Hon Umar Mohammed Nasko, a former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate, following an application filed by the Niger State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Nasir Mua’azu, to discontinue the case after seven years without making headway.
Recall that Nasoko, a former Commissioner for Environment and Chief of Staff (CoS) to former ex-Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, has been in a running legal battle with the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) since 2017.
His discharge was coming shortly after the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice applied to take over the prosecution of the suit from the EFCC.
It would also be recalled that former Governor Mua’azu Babangida Aliyu and the state PDP Chairman, Tanko Beji, were earlier discharged in December 2023 by Justice Mikailu Abdullahi of the Minna High Court 2.
The trio were arraigned before the then Chief Judge of Niger State, Justice Mohammed Aliyu Mayaki.
by the operatives of the EFCC in 2017 over alleged criminal breaches of trust, conspiracy and conversion of about N3b belonging to the state.
The attorney general hinged the decision on the ground that the case has suffered several adjournments for the past seven years without any visible headway from the EFCC.
Nasir Mua’azu’s application was contained in the motion on notice filed before the court on January 8, 2024, and filed on January 10, 2024.
However, the prosecuting counsel to the commission, Farouk Abdullahi, objected to the application while requesting for time to address the court on the application, while the counsel to the respondent, Mike Maman Osman (SAN), objected to the submission of the prosecuting counsel.
Conseqently, while the attorney general quoted the provisions of Section 211(b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended to back his position, the EFCC counsel withdrew his objection, saying the commission had done its part to ensure justice in line with the criminal justice system.
