Former
National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) has protested his
detention for alleged $15billion arms deals facilitated by the Office of
National Security Adviser (ONSA).
He
says the Federal Government should allow his trial begin.
Dasuki
is said to have told his associates that he is not disposed to a secret trial.
He insists that based on service rules in a security system, he only obeyed the
directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief, former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The
ex-NSA, told his associates: “I am ready for trial because they have destroyed
my family’s name and my professional integrity, especially how we successfully
fought Boko Haram and recovered major towns and cities, not villages. They
should let my trial start in earnest to enable Nigerians know the truth from
falsehood.
There
is a plan to try Dasuki’s case in secret to protect some of the witnesses. But
Dasuki disagreed.
He
said: ”I don’t believe in secret trial and there is no basis for it because the
government has filed all necessary papers in court and attached the list of
witnesses. Since the witnesses have become public knowledge, there is no basis
for secret trial.’
Dasuki also queried the rationale for keeping
him in custody “without any warrant”.
He said: “Since I was detained in the custody
of the Department of State Service (DSS), I have not been shown any warrant to
this effect or court order.
”I deserve to be shown the warrant of
detention by DSS and the purpose for restricting me to house arrest. My
detention is unlawful.”
He urged Nigerians to prevail on the
government to admit him to bail in line with the present administration’s
commitment to the Rule of Law.
Dasuki
said: “All those who collected funds from ONSA have been granted bail but I am
still in custody. I have been granted bail on all the cases filed against me by
the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and even DSS, but I have
not been released.
”If all the beneficiaries of the so-called
funds are on bail, what have I done wrong?
Nigerians should help prevail on the government to grant me bail.
”I cannot rock the boat. I am prepared for
trial. We did everything with national and security interest.”
Dasuki
stressed that he disbursed all the funds credited to ONSA based on the
directive of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.
”Based on the service rules in the security
circle, I owe it a duty to obey the President and Commander-In-Chief.
Ex-President Jonathan approved all the expenses incurred by ONSA.
”I am ready to prove in court how we complied
with the directive of the ex-President.”
Dasuki
was initially arrested by the DSS but EFCC took custody of him for trial.
But
he was later returned to DSS facility from where he had been going to various
courts.
The EFCC had arraigned Dasuki, and two others
on 19-count charge of misappropriation of funds meant for purchase of arms
before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
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