The Federal Government has emphatically told the Economic Community For West African States, ECOWAS's court on Thursday 19th May 2016 that it would be dangerous to release the embattled former National Security Adviser, NSA, Sambo Dasuki, saying he constitutes a security risk.
The ECOWAS court had in few days ago gave the FG of Nigeria a 24 hours ultimatum to defend it decision on Dasuki continued detention for several months.
It would be recalled that Dasuki has been in detention since December 2015. He was re-arrested on December 29, 2015 by the Department of State Services, DSS, after he was released on bail from Kuje Prisons, Abuja.
The 4 reason which the FG stated was the reason for Dasuki's continuing detention are;
- That Dasuki constitutes a threat to national security
- Dasuki's involvement in the Over $2 billion arms fund scam
- That Dasuki also being held for his own safety because of the calibre politicians involved in the arms fund
- That investigation reveals there are still more arms in Dasuki's possession which have not been discovered
- That the rights of an individual cannot supersede the security of a nation
The federal government, which called two witnesses in Dasuki’s suit before the ECOWAS court to enforce his fundamental human rights, said aside the fact that Dasuki constitutes a threat to national security, he is also being held over his alleged involvement in the over $2bn arms funds scam, Ripples Nigeria confirms
The government also said Dasuki was also being held for his own safety because of the calibre of top politicians involved in the arms fund scandal.
According to the government, it is believed that the former NSA has more arms in his possession, which have not being discovered.
The counsel to the FG said: “The position of the defence, which is not controverted by the applicant, is that the arms and ammunition recovered during the search (at Dasuki’s home) are not the only arms and ammunition in the possession of the applicant.
“There is fear that he has more.
“There is intelligence report that some are yet to be recovered. That we fear he has more is a ground to hold him. There are on-going investigations which are revealing fresh facts concerning him.
“The right of an individual cannot supersede the security of a country when there is intelligence report to suspect the conduct of the individual.”
Credit: Ripple Nigeria