The Department of State Security Service (DSS) has brought new charges against the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki. DSS is claiming that Dasuki left the Nigerian Army without proper resignation.
The prosecution counsel, Rotimi Jacobs at the last hearing of the suit against the former NSA last Thursday, revealed the new dimension.
Jacobs explained that, it is Dasuki’s improper disengagement from the military that has kept him incarcerated despite having been granted bail by three different courts.
The prosecuting counsel had told the court that Dasuki was a fugitive, who ran away from the military.
He is currently held by the Department of State Service (DSS) on alleged breach of army service rule, Jacobs said.
Jacobs specifically told the court that Dasuki went on an exile for seven years and that during the period he allegedly breached the army service rules.
However, Ahmed Raji, Dasuki’s lead counsel disputed the claims.
Raji said his client legally left the Army in 1994 and his exit in the military was officially gazetted by the Federal government through the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar in 1999.
Dasuki’s counsel therefore claimed that the allegation was a fallacy and a concocted lie to confuse the court as the prosecution has no answer to the well-grounded objection raised by the defence.
“The allegation of fugitive against Dasuki cannot hold water on stand in the face of the law in view of the official gazette of the Federal Government that confirmed his retirement from the military,” Raji said.
“It is curious that the prosecution counsel who initially claimed ignorance of the reason behind the denial of bail is now coming up with these excuses.
“I am tempted to believe that my learned friend Mr. Rotimi Jacob SAN must be genuinely mixing-up facts or mistake of identity.”
He appealed to those holding Dasuki in the custody in flagrant disobedience to the court order that granted him bail to have a rethink and respect the rule of law.
Huhuonline.com gathered that former military dictator, late General Sani Abacha, whom Gen Mohammadu Buhari worked with as parallel Head of state at the Petroleum Trust Fund(PTF), held Dasuki in contempt and marked him for persecution, after the former NSA condemned the annulment and called for MKO’s release.
“Dasuki was among the officer who confronted Late Sani Abacha and insisted that MKO Abiola be freed and allowed to become President over the June 12, 1993 President election. This led to the premature retirement of Dasuki and other officers in 1994.
The persecution that followed forced him into exile where he joined forces with other patriotic Nigerians to claim for the return of democracy in Nigeria, it was gathered.
However, it was also noted that an official Gazette No 33 Volume 86, Dasuki was granted clemency and pardon along with others on 4th March 1999 by General Abdulsalam Abubakar, the then Head of State and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
It could be recalled that the former National Security Adviser`s father was deposed as Sultan of Sokoto because of his stance against the military dictator that Genneral Buhari worked with very closely with.
