Standoff at former NSA Dasuki’s residence continues

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The standoff at the residence of a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, continued into the second day Friday, as personnel of the State Security Service, SSS, maintained their siege on the property at John Kadiya Street in Asokoro District of Abuja.

Four trucks with fully armed SSS operatives stormed the residence Thursday evening and sought to “see” Mr. Dasuki, who, refused to let them in, reportedly, after sensing the operatives were on a mission to arrest him.

Checks by PREMIUM TIMES Friday morning however, revealed that the SSS operatives eventually gained access into the house and evacuated all the vehicles inside the compound.

A source close to Mr. Dasuki said the operatives “took away all the cars in the house including that of his wife, his worker and visitors away after which they drove their own vehicles inside”.

Another source familiar with the operation told PREMIUM TIMES that the operatives “moved in” because Mr. Dasuki was resisting arrest.

He said the ex-NSA sought to know what he had done wrong to warrant being arrested. He also said some of the operatives had returned to the SSS office to brief their superiors, “for the next line of action”.

He however said operatives were still keeping guard at the House to “ensure that nobody exits and nobody goes into the compound”.

Our source said, the operatives were also making photocopies of the documents of the vehicles they took away after which they would return to the house.

The acting Director General of the service, Lawal Daura, did not respond to repeated calls for comments on the operation.

PREMIUM TIMES could not also reach the spokesperson for the SSS, Marilyn Ogar.

Some officials of the service speculated that Mr. Dasuki may be needed to respond to questions over the alleged misuse of funds assigned for the fight against Boko Haram.

Another source claimed he may be paying for “arresting President Muhammadu Buhari” also on eve of Sallah in 1985, when the president, then a military ruler, was dethroned and arrested.

Mr. Dasuki was removed as NSA on Monday by Mr. Buhari after serving for three years as the Nigeria’s National Security Adviser. He was appointed on June 22, 2012 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.