Court, yesterday, berated the Federal Government for disobeying his
order to allow former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo
Dasuki, retd, to travel abroad for medication.
Consequently, he summoned the new Attorney-General of the Federation
and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, to appear before him on
Monday, to explain why Dasuki has remained under house arrest for the
past nine days.
Justice Adeniyi maintained that the AGF should be ready to explain why
an order the court made on November 3, permitting Dasuki to travel
abroad for medical attention was violated.
The summon on the AGF was sequel to complaint by Dasuki's lawyers, led
by Mr. Joseph Daudu, SAN, that armed operatives of the Department of
State Service, DSS, barred their client from stepping out of his
house.
Daudu told the court that the operatives have continued to lay siege
to Dasuki's residence at No 13 John Kadiya Street, Asokoro District,
Abuja , with a view to preventing him from travelling abroad for
medical treatment.
Operatives of the Directorate of State Security were still at the
house of former National Security Adviser as at 8 pm last night, many
hours after Justice Adeniyi described their action as lawlessness.
A statement on the imbroglio yesterday night said, "In response to
media enquiry after the court judgement, the armed operatives of DSS
are still by the Residence of Ex-NSA Sambo Dasuki at No 13 John Kadiya
Street Asokoro as at 8pm today".
Meanwhile, the prosecution counsel, Mr. Shuaibu Labaran, who declined
to confirm or deny the presence of security operatives at Dasuki's
house in breach of the court order, yesterday, insisted that the
ex-NSA was being investigated over his alleged complicity in a fresh
money laundering case.
His response drew the irk of Justice Adeniyi, who lambasted the DSS
for not respecting a valid court order. "I have made an order which
has to be obeyed and the order is to the effect that the accused be
allowed to go abroad as from November 4 to treat his ailment within
three weeks and return to the court on November 26 for his trial in
the charges brought against him. I stand by my order, nobody is saying
that the man should not be investigated but the order must be obeyed
and I am not ready to bend on the order.
"I even varied the bail conditions to accommodate a surety to ensure
that the accused comes back to answer the charges against him.
No big deal in any new investigation, it is even a small matter to the
earlier charge. I do not want this issue to escalate because it is
attracting global attention and I know what that means, so my order
must not be flouted.
"If you have any further issue with him, let him go for his medical
check-up and come back. It is the duty of all Nigerians to ensure that
court orders are obeyed. I am not too happy with what is happening. It
is an act of lawlessness and I believe it is not too early for the AGF
to look into this mess.
"The AGF has to come to my court immediately. It is in the best
interest of the nation, so that the scenario will not continue. It is
important that the AGF, being the Chief Law Officer of the Federation,
be present in this court on Monday," the Judge said.
Justice Adeniyi had in a ruling on November 3, okayed Dasuki to travel
to the United Kingdom over his "deteriorating health condition."
My life under threat – Dasuki
The former NSA who is being prosecuted on a five-count charge
bordering on money laundering and alleged possession of illegal
firearms, told the court that he was suffering from cancer.
Meanwhile, in a fundamental right enforcement application he filed
pursuant to section 36(5) 37 and 41 of the 1999 Constitution, as well
as, sections 1(1) and (2) and 266 of the Administration of Criminal
Justice Act 2015, Dasuki alleged that his life is currently under
threat.
-Vanguard
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