By Abdallah el-Kurebe
The family of former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki has, for the first time ever since his incarceration by the Department of Security Services (DSS) called on the Federal Government to obey courts’ orders and release their brother on bail.
Addressing Journalists under the auspices of Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki Progressive Association Sokoto at the NUJ Press Centre on Friday, Comrade Kabir Auwal who read that statement, noted that this was the second year that the former NSA had been held against verdicts of four courts, including the ECOWAS court.
According to the statement, “We wish to request the Federal Government, under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari, to respect the rule of law in the case of our son, brother and cousin and the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to release him from detention.
“Today is two years since the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki was arrested and re-arrested in December 2015 after securing his bail condition but ignored by the Federal Government. Since his incarceration, Dasuki has been arraigned before four federal courts which granted him bail, while the ECOWAS court, a sub-regional court not only ordered that the FG release him immediately but also order his compensation to the tune of N15 million. The agents of the Federal Government, especially Department of State Service (DSS) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have refused to obey any of the court orders,” it read in parts.
The family observed that President Buhari was acting contrary to his promise to Nigerians that, “As far as the Constitution allows me, I will try to ensure that there is responsible and accountable governance at all levels of government in the country. For I will not have kept my own trust with the Nigerian people, if I allow others abuse theirs under my watch.”
They further noted that “Just recently, the DSS prevented the EFCC from arresting or interrogating its former Director General, Ita Ekpeyong by relying on the provision of a proclamation approved by General Abubakar Abdulsalam in 1999. The edict titled ‘Instrument No 1 of 1999, shields Security agencies from external audit and investigation of their financial dealings, making them subject to only presidential review’, asking, “Why is this not applied to Sambo Dasuki who supervised and coordinated the activities of the intelligence services when the instrument has not been nullified or replaced by a National Assembly-enacted Act.”
Sambo’s family further recalled that the recent NIA report on Osborne Tower Scandal was equally treated in a manner that could not jeopardise national security. “In addition, just recently too while receiving a report on National Intelligence Agency (NIA) over Osborne Tower Scandal from Ambassador Babagana Kingibe, President Buhari in a statement by his Spokesperson Femi Adesina said the scandal ‘must be understood that this (investigation) cannot be done in a manner that jeopardises national security or exposes the operations of any intelligence Agency, which must, by nature be conducted in secrecy.’ Why is this not applicable to Sambo Dasuki who supervised those agencies during his tenure.”
“We and other right-thinking members of his family have deliberately remained silence on his ordeals and persecution, hoping in a democratic government, rule of law would be adhered to. But surprisingly in over two years that Sambo Dasuki has been unlawfully and illegal detained without any court order or warrant, he has been subjected to media trial, scandalized, criminalized, insulted and humiliated not through any court of justice but from the propaganda of the current administration through media trials of falsehood,” they said.
According to the family, Dasuki served Nigeria meritoriously in various capacities before his appointment as the National Security Adviser by the previous administration. “It is public knowledge that Dasuki had served previous administration of General Muhammadu Buhari and General Ibrahim Babangida but was against dictatorial regime of General Sani Abacha, before he sought asylum outside the country where he teamed up with other Nigerians in the Diaspora to campaign against that military dictatorship and entrenchment of democracy.”
They further noted that when Dasuki was appointed National Security Adviser (NSA), the activities of Boko Haram were at its peak. “It is on record that he recovered more than 24 towns from Boko Haram before the coming of the current administration and ensured that security strategies put in place facilitated the conduct of peaceful elections in 2015 across the country, including in the Northeast states without disruption by Boko Haram terrorism. In one of his official statement he had provided lists and proof of huge military equipment bought to prosecute the war on terror and how they engaged Nigeria’s neigbours to join in the efforts. Yet, the current government doesn’t want the truth to be told.”
“In spite of Dasuki’s contribution in taming insecurity in the country, he has been the most maligned public officer through naked falsehood and mischievous information leakages that tend to portray him as a corrupt person. Suffice to say that Dasuki has served the nation with best of intentions yet he remains the only public officer that has remained in detention in the last two years; the only officer that has been granted bail by four courts. The FG’s sheer disregard for the rule of law in the last two years, especially as it affects Sambo Dasuki’s incarceration has become worrisome to Dasuki family even when we lost our Father Sultan Dasuki. No nation develops in the absence of rule of law, in which case her extant laws and judicial structures are respected devoid of sentimentality and grudging impunity,” the family lamented.
They alleged that some suspects charged with treasonable offences were released by the Federal Government after clamour and outburst by their people. In Dasuki’s case, whose offences are all bailable and granted by the court, he was not allowed to enjoy his bail. The disregard by the government agencies of these orders could not be without the express approval of President Buhari which is most painful and to his in-law. The judiciary should be encouraged to have the courage to exercise its powers without undue interference by the executive arm.”
The family stated that as a democracy, Nigeria should not be governed as a military junta. “Since we are not in a military junta but a democracy, Nigeria’s constitution should not be turned to Military decrees with which rights of citizens are trampled upon without question. We strongly call on the Federal Government to respect rule of law and allow Sambo Dasuki to enjoy his bails, except if the intention of government is to kill him in detention.”
They called on the government to obey courts orders by releasing Dasuki while it continues with its prosecution. “We therefore call on the Federal Government to release Dasuki on bail in compliance with the rulings of our competent courts while it continues with the cases in open court rather than in secret or media trial.”
