Political Briefs
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THE Department of State Services, DSS, on Thursday, November 5, refuted an allegation that it was laying siege to the residence of Sambo Dasuki, a retired colonel and former national security adviser, NSA, despite a subsisting court order which granted him permission to travel abroad on a medical issue.
In a statement signed by Tony Opuiyo, an operative, the DSS explained that it did not illegally block Dasuki’s residence, adding that it only took legal means to ensure that the former NSA appeared before a committee investigating a $2 billion arms deal.
A federal high court in Abuja had on Tuesday, November 3, granted permission to the former NSA to travel abroad for medical purpose pending the commencement of his trial. Dasuki is standing trial for alleged unlawful possession of fire arms and money laundering.
It was gathered that Dasuki had planned to embark on the trip on Wednesday, November 4, night and had secured a seat on Lufthansa, but aborted his plans when he was hinted that the DSS operatives were at the airport to pick him up.
The DSS operatives were, however, sighted at his residence on Thursday, November 5, prompting reports that he had been placed on house arrest despite a court order that gave him permission to embark on a medical trip abroad.
Explaining what it called “the seeming standoff” between it and the former NSA, the DSS said its action was based on his refusal to appear before a committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case.
But Dasuki denied ever receiving any invitation letter to appear before the committee set up to investigate procurement processes relating to any arms transaction by the last administration, under which he served.
He said it was strange that a committee purported to be operating from the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA, could have transferred its mandate to the DSS.
— Nov 16, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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