Buhari Behind My Continued Detention, Dasuki Tells Court

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Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of being behind his arrest and detention without trial since December 29, 2015.

Dasuki, who spoke through his counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu, claimed that President Buhari unjustly instigated his arrest and detention by the Department of State Security (DSS) against the bail granted him by three different courts in various criminal charges brought against him by the federal government.

He claimed that the President, through his comments on the presidential media chat in January 2016, confirmed that he was behind his ordeal.

In a further and better affidavit filed in support of his application at the FCT high court, the ex-NSA claimed that the President betrayed his emotion during the presidential media chat when he openly told Nigerians that he and Nnamdi Kanu would not be allowed on bail because they would jump bail.

Dasuki claimed he had been held incommunicado since his re-arrest on December 29 when he perfected the third bail granted him by Justice Peter Affen.

He, therefore, asked Justice Affen to prohibit his further trial until the federal government allows him on bail so as to prepare effectively for defence in the various criminal charges brought against him by government.

The former NSA who has been in detention since December 29, 2015, claimed that the detention has prevented him from filing effective defence because he has no access to his lawyers.

Daudu also stated that the claim that Dasuki was being held by the DSS and not the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) cannot hold water because the federal government is the complainant in the charge against Dasuki and that both the DSS and EFCC are agents of the federal government.

In opposing the application, counsel to the federal government, Mr Rotimi Jacob informed Justice Affen that the charge against Dasuki was at the instance of the EFCC and not the DSS.

He denied that the federal government disobeyed the court on the ground that on December 29, 2015 when the bail conditions were perfected, Dasuki was released by the prison authority at Kuje but was however rearrested by another government agency.

Jacobs asked the court not to grant Dasuki’s application because DSS that rearrested him was not a party to the charges against him before Justice Affen who granted him the bail.

After listening to the parties, Justice Affen fixed March 4, 2016 to give ruling on the application.