The Department of State Services says it stopped the foreign trip of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), because of his refusal to honour the agency’s invitation.
A Federal High Court had a few days ago, ordered the security agency to release Dasuki’s passport, so he can proceed on a trip abroad for medical treatment.
But the DSS blocked Dasuki from embarking on the trip on Thursday, November 5, due to his failure to appear before a committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate a N2billion arms transaction by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Tony Opuiyo, released a statement on behalf of the DSS on Thursday, saying: “It may be recalled that Dasuki 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 Dasuki and the Service, despite the court-ordered release of his international passport on November 4, 2015, is his refusal to appear before a Committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case.
“The public may wish to note that the government set up the committee to investigate procurement processes relating to a $2billion arms transaction by the last administration, under which Sambo was the NSA.
“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.”
Leave a reply