The Department of State Security (DSS) Operatives yesterday embarked on a siege at the Abuja residence of former National Security Adviser (NSA) retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki.
Explaining the rationale behind this latest swoop on the former NSA’s house, the DSS says it has not acted in defiance of a court order granting Dasuki permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.
The DSS in a statement by Tony Opuiyo, explained that the action by its officers was caused by the refusal of Dasuki to honour an invitation by a committee investigating his alleged involvement in the $2 billion dollars arms procurement process by the past administration.
“The attention of the Department of State Services (DSS) has been brought to the report making rounds that its operatives illegally blocked the residence of the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo DASUKI (Col/Rtd), in violation of a subsisting court order granting him a relief to travel oversea for medical services. This is to say the least that such report is not only unfounded and malicious but aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Service,” the statement read.
Continuing, it says: “It may be recalled that Sambo was initially arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering, for which reason his international passport was seized and on the order of the court, returned to the registrar for custody. What has however brought the seeming standoff between Sambo and the Service, despite the court-ordered release of his international passport on 4th November, 2015, is his refusal to appear before a Committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case.”
Explaining further, the DSS stated that the government set up the Committee to investigate procurement processes relating to a two billion dollar ($2billion) arms transaction by the last administration, under which SAMBO was the NSA, adding that it was on this premise that he was invited by the Committee to shed more light on his involvement in the deal.
“It, therefore, remains surprising and shocking that Sambo has refused to honour invitations of the Committee but instead resorts to grandstanding and subtle blackmail of the Service. His refusal to appear before the Committee has left the Service with no option than to adopt legal means to ensure his attendance,” the DSS statement continued.
Explaining further, the DSS said it is not persecuting the former NSA, urging Nigerians are to disregard the impression being created by Dasuki in that regards.
DSS agents raided Dasuki’s houses on July 15 and laid siege for nearly 24 hours. It announced afterwards that it had impounded five bullet-proof cars and large cache of arms and ammunitions.
The DSS had issued a statement saying its action was necessitated by credible intelligence which linked him to acts capable of undermining national security.
It said the search operation led to the recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition among other things and for which further investigation was conducted.
On Monday August 24, 2015, he was charged to court on offenses which relates to possession of fire arms without license punishable under section 27(i)(a)(i) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004.
Dasuki who is still standing trial for alleged unlawful possession of firearm and money laundry was granted leave to travel oversea for treatment by the court on Tuesday November, 3.
The DSS had on Tuesday picked up former governor of Adamawa State, Boni Haruna shortly after standing surety for Dasuki at a Federal High Court in Abuja.
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