‘Unlawful detention: Associates, friends await Dasuki’s release’

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

 Associates and friends of the detained former National Security Adviser (NSA),  Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), have thronged his family residence in Asokoro, Abuja, awaiting his release from four-year detention by the  Department of State Security Services (DSS).

The awaiting return of the embattled NSC Boss was predicated on the order of the Appeal court, last week, which again ordered for his release.

The associates expressed optimism that the Presidency would this time around respect the order of court.

One of the associates, Alhaji Dahiru Umar,  a chieftain of the  All Progressives  Congress (APC), pleaded with the Presidency to respect the higher court order as a mark of respect for the rule of law.

“President Muhammadu Buhari’s government is predicated on democracy and the rules of law and must therefore demonstrate this in the interest of justice and to convince Nigerians and the international community that there’s no personal issue in the matter of Dasuki”, he told journalists in Abuja.

The appellate court held that the DSS and its Director General acted outside their constitutional powers on the long period of the detention of a Nigerian citizen and imposed a fine of N5m on them to be paid to Dasuki as compensation for breach of his fundamental right.

In a unanimous judgment of  a 3 – man panel of Justices of the court led by Justice Tinuade Akomolafe- Wilson, the court held that the fundamental right of the ex NSA had been brazenly and brutally breached by the prolonged detention without trial in any fresh charge or investigation contrary to the provisions of the 1999 constitution.

In the lead judgment of Justice Akomolafe- Wilson, Dasuki was subsequently admitted to bail in the sum of N100m and two sureties in the like sum.

The two sureties shall be serving public servants not below the status of level 16 officers in either state or public service of the Federal or any of its agencies and shall produce a valid documents of his or her status to the registrar of the federal high court in Abuja.

Each surety must be resident within the jurisdiction of the high court and other physical address must be verified by the court registrar and shall also produce two recent passport size photographs in addition to deposing to affidavit of means.

The sureties each shall furnish evidence of ownership of property in the Federal Capital Territory worth N100m

The appeal court ordered that the DSS and its Director General should not detain Dasuki again and that whenever he is required on any allegation, it must be conducted within the working days and from 9am to 6pm for him to go home.

The court also ordered that the international passport of the ex NSA shall remain with the Deputy Chief Register of the high court for the time being.

A federal high court Judge, Jusyice Ijeoma Ojukwu had on July 2 2018, admitted Dasuki to bail on conditions the NSA complained to be too harsh and stringent for him his family to perfect especially deposit of N100m to the high court registrar by his sureties before he can be released on bail.