Former Aviation Minister back in the dock

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has re-arraigned former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode before the Federal High Court in Lagos. Fani-Kayode, an aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, faces 17 graft charges involving $14.6m along with Nenadi Usman, a former local Finance Minister. A report on the allAfrica site notes that the defendants pleaded not guilty before Justice Rilwan Aikawa. Aikawa replaced Justice Muslim Hassan who recused himself on the grounds that he was previously an EFCC officer who signed the criminal charge filed against the accused.