Going by remarks Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari made during a nationwide broadcast he gave on Thursday, the three bete noires (most hated) of his administration – former National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, Shi’ite Muslim leader Ibrahim Zakzaky, and Igbo secessionist agitator Nnamdi Kanu – are unlikely to be released from detention any time soon.
The trio remain in custody despite separately securing court bails.
The president charged that the “pillage” carried out by Colonel Dasuki almost crippled the nation. The retired officer who served the previous Goodluck Jonathan administration is facing serious charges relating to corruption.
Referring to the bail granted Col Dasuki, President Buhari said: “It is not good for somebody facing such serious criminal charges to be released on bail or allowed to go abroad for medical treatment and be expected back into the country to face trial.”
Commenting on the recent clash between the military and Shi’ite Muslims in Kaduna state, he explained that he had a telephone conversation with the President of Iran and “I told him what happened.”
“How can a group create a state within a state?”
The Kaduna state government is expected to institute a Judicial Inquiry on the matter and the report will guide the government in taking further action, the president added.
On the issue of Mr Kanu, the proprietor of the pirate Radio Biafra, President Buhari said: “This man has two passports – one Nigerian, the other British. He brought in sophisticated equipment into the country to subvert the nation and you want me to release him?”
He said that the clamour for the secession of the south-eastern Igbo states, citing marginalisation as the reason, was not tenable. “The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria is from Igbo; the Minister of Petroleum is Igbo; the Minister of State for Education is Igbo; the Minister of Labour is Igbo.
These are very sensitive portfolios and so, who is marginalising who?” he posed.
The president vowed to push on with his fight against corruption.
He warned he would not hesitate to sack and prosecute any of his appointees found to be corrupt. On Boko Haram terrorism, he said that the government would ban the full hijab if suicide bombings continued.
Following the order, Mr Sambo Dasuki, was re-arrested at the gate of Kuje Prison today after having perfected conditions for his bail.
SECRET POLICE
He was arrested by officers of the secret police, the Department of the State Security Service.
He was re-arrested the Kuje Prison, Abuja, while he was about leaving the prison after meeting the bail conditions set for him by a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
The secret police took custody of Dasuki shortly after perfecting the third bail granted him by Justice Peter Affem after two other courts had done same.
The arrest coincided with President Muhammadu Buhari’s comments on the detention of the former NSA chief.
Counsel for Mr Dasuki, Mr Ahmed Raji said that the former NSA had met all the bail conditions given by Justice Affem but regretted that the court order was not obeyed by the operatives of the DSS.
“He was re-arrested by the operatives of the DSS and whisked away to an unknown destination.
“He met the bail conditions set for him by the judge, but as he was stepping outside the prison, he was arrested.”
Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court also in Abuja had granted the ex-NSA bail on November 3 in the charges of unlawful possession of firearms, but the bail was on November 4 scuttled by the DSS who laid siege to his Asokoro Residence and placed him under house arrest.
GRANTED BAIL
The claim of the security agents was that Dasuki was being investigated on another matter.
Mr Dasuki is accused of misappropriating N14 billion ($70m) when he served as National Security chief.
He was later arraigned before justice Yusuf Baba of the Abuja High court on breach of trust an was granted bail but which was also refused to be obeyed by the security operatives.
Dasuki was also moved to another high court of Justice Affem who also admitted him on bail on the grounds that the offence was a bailable one.
Raji who perfected the bail condition of his client disclosed that the actions of the security agents was an affront to the rule of law under democracy.
The lawyer appealed to the authorities of the security agents and the federal government to respect court order and allow Dasuki to enjoy the bail granted him by the court.
Dasuki is facing two sets of criminal charges involving alleged diversion of about N45 billion meant for arms procurement along with others before two judges of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
He had also been accused of pilfering and diverting $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms to prosecute the war against Boko Haram sect.
Source: DailyNation
Just mentioning figures n d masses r dieing of hunger
what about common criminals that will steal a tubber of yam,to feed there families,how many years do they spend in prison awaiting trial,have you ever defended them?just collect your money and keep quit,useless san