**N33.2bn Arms Scandal: EFCC Witness Rebutts Claims of Coercion Against Dasuki's Co-Defendant** In a major development in the ongoing trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki and his co-defendant, Aminu Baba-Kusa, over the diversion of N33.2 billion arms and security funds, a witness has testified that Baba-Kusa freely wrote his statements in custody without any form of coercion or duress. Halima Kazeem, an assistant commandant 1 at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), made this revelation during a trial-within-trial at the FCT High Court, Abuja, to determine the voluntariness of the extra-judicial statements credited to Baba-Kusa. According to Kazeem, Baba-Kusa was treated with utmost respect and was not subjected to any form of torture, verbal or physical, while in custody in 2015. This contradicts claims by Baba-Kusa's lawyers that the statements were obtained under duress. The long-running trial, which has been ongoing for over a decade, has seen Dasuki and Baba-Kusa deny 32 counts of diversion of arms and security funds entrusted to the NSA office. Two of Baba-Kusa's companies, Acacia Holdings Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited, are also facing similar charges. The trial-within-trial was ordered by the judge after Baba-Kusa's lawyers objected to the admissibility of his statements as evidence, citing non-compliance with Section 15(4) and 17 (2) of the Administration of Justice Act 2015. However, the EFCC witness has now presented evidence that Baba-Kusa's statements were voluntary and made in the presence of his lawyer. The development is a significant blow to Baba-Kusa's defense, as it paves the way for the admissibility of his statements as evidence in the trial. In the end, the outcome of this trial-within-trial will have far-reaching implications for the N33.2bn arms scandal, which has been a major stain on the image of Nigeria's security sector. It remains to be seen how the judge will rule on the admissibility of Baba-Kusa's statements, but one thing is certain - the truth behind this massive scandal will eventually come to light.