Three defendants standing trial alongside the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), have asked an Abuja High Court to try them separately.

A former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Attahiru, and their company, Dalhatu Investments Limited are the three defendants seeking a separate trial.

Colonel Dasuki and the three defendants are standing trial at a Federal Capital Territory High Court for alleged diversion of $2.1 billion belonging to the Federal Government while he served as the NSA.

The charges against the former NSA and his co-defendants had earlier been consolidated by the FCT High Court, following applications by Dasuki’s lawyers that the separate charges, bothering on financial misappropriation were made of similar components and should, therefore, be heard in the same court.

On Thursday, lawyer to the defendants, Kayode Olatoke, asked the court to separate the case to allow for accelerated hearing of the charge against them.

He based his request on the ground that the protracted nature of the trial has had an adverse effect on his clients’ business and personal lives.

The prosecutor, Rotimi Jacobs, however, asked the court to reject the motion of the defendants, stating that the‎ said application was in contravention of the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.

Jacobs also told the court that the request would render the charge against the defendants impossible to be defended.

In his reaction, Dasuki lawyer, Adeola Adedipe, also asked the court to refuse the application on the ground that it was impossible to separate the other defendants without first amending the charge.

The presiding judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, subsequently adjourned the case till October 19 for the determination of the application.