ECOWAS Court orders release of Sambo Dasuki

The court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has ruled that Nigeria's ex-national security adviser, Dasuki Sambo, who has been held since December for alleged fraud, should be released.

Sambo Dasuki

Sambo Dasuki was accused of illegally transferring $50m (£39m) from the national security budget to fund election campaigns for members of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

He was also accused of awarding "ghost contracts" to buy 12 helicopters and four fighter jets which never materialised.

He has pleaded not guilty to the charges, and says they are politically motivated.

A judge at the ECOWAS court ruled that his detention was unlawful,arbitrary and therefore ordered the government to pay Mr Dasuki $47,000 in compensation for his arrest and detention. 

It is unclear whether the government will abide by the verdict. 

Sovereign states do not have accept the court's rulings and there is no framework for making them binding.

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