Elections Delay Trial Of Ex-Niger Governor, Babangida Aliyu – Channels Television

A Federal High Court in Minna, Niger State has adjourned the trial of former Niger State Governor, Babangida Aliyu, and his former Chief of Staff, Umar Nasko to April 15, 2019.

The duo is alleged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to have laundered Ecological Fund to the tune of N2 billion, released by the Federal Government to Niger State in 2014.

Counsel to the prosecution, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, in an application seeking for adjournment, before Justice Yalim S. Bogoro, asked for an adjournment, noting that he needed time to sit with the investigation officers, who were on election duties.

“Some of my witnesses are not around because they are concerned about electoral matters. So those are the reasons why we apply for a new date.”

“We applied for an exhibit, which is huge because we just came into the matter, and I was told that the application for the exhibit tendered had to be approved by his lordship, who is no longer here but comes to sit in this matter.

“It is this morning that they told me that the application has been approved. The exhibit is not something that I will just sit down, hear it and say I am ready to go on with it without reading it because what is worth doing [at all] is worth doing well.”

Meanwhile, counsels to both defendants, Olajide Ayodele, SAN and Mamman Osuman, SAN, raised no objections to the application.

Justice Bogoro, thereafter, adjourned for “continuation of hearing”.