The State Security Service has again ignored a court order directing
it and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to release a
former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, on bail, his lawyer
has said.
Three separate courts have so far granted Mr. Dasuki bail, who,
alongside five others, is standing trial on a 22-count charge for
alleged diversion of funds, misappropriation and breach of trust to
the tune of N19.4 billion.
The charges were brought against them by the EFCC.
The former NSA and former Minister for State of Finance, Bashir
Yuguda; former Sokoto Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; and three others
were granted bail on December 21 by the Federal Capital Territory High
Court in the sum of N250 million each and two sureties in like sum.
But even after fulfilling the conditions for his bail by Justice Peter
Affen, according to Ahmed Raji (SAN) his lawyer, the SSS has refused
to allow him go home.
He said rather than allowing him to go, the service took custody of
Mr. Dasuki. He is currently detained in Kuje Prisons.
Mr. Raji, who perfected the bail conditions, said the former NSA
satisfied all the conditions, wondering why the SSS operatives would
not obey the court order.
He said the action of the security organisation was an affront to the
rule of law under democracy.
The lawyer appealed to the SSS and the Federal Government to obey the
court order and allow Mr. Dasuki to enjoy the bail granted him by a
court.
Before the bail, the former NSA had previously been granted bail on
two occasions.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court had on November 3
granted bail to Mr. Dasuki, who was charged for unlawful possession of
firearms.
The SSS however scuttled the bail the following day as its
operatives continued to lay siege on Mr. Dasuki's residence in the
Asokoro District of Abuja where he was kept under house arrest.
The service had claimed at the time that the former NSA was under
investigation for another offence.
Mr. Dasuki was subsequently arraigned before an Abuja High Court for
alleged breach of trust. Although the court granted him bail, the
security outfit ignored it.
The SSS could not be reached to comment on this story.
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