Dasuki
Former National Security Adviser Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has berated
the Federal Government over his continued detention and disobedience
to various court orders that admitted him on bails.
Dasuki
in a strongly worded letter he personally signed and addressed to the
Registrar of the Federal High Court Abuja vowed to boycott any
proceeding for his trial since the federal government has proved
beyond reasonable doubt that it would not obey any order of the court
even if it is in his favour.
Dasuki
had previously perfected bails granted him by five different judges
of high courts including Justices Ademola Adeniyi, Justice Ahmed
Mohammed and Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu of the Abuja Federal High Court
and Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf and Justice Peter Affen of the FCT
High Courts. The ECOWAS Court of Justice also ordered his immediate
release from detention.
In
the letter dated November 12, 2018, the Ex-NSA recalled several court
judgements which ordered his release from detention since December
2015 which were not obeyed and other decisions that admitted him to
bail and which were also refused by the administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari.
In
the letter, Dasuki said: “Prevailing circumstances have prompted me
to write this letter to the court, the hope of every Nigerian
citizens. Unfortunately, it seems to me that the current
administration has so much interference with the judicial system,
such that it has become practically impossible for the Court to
maintain her independence, the administration of justice. My plight
is of common Knowledge.”
Recalling
how Buhari’s government refused to obey several court orders,
Dasuki said he had to approach another court for the enforcement of
his fundamental human right.
Dasuki
said: “After the Federal Government failed to comply with all the
bail orders and judgement of the ECOWAS court, I further approached
the Federal High Court for the enforcement of my fundamental human
right. In a judgment delivered by Hon. Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu on July
2, 2018, the court found that my right had been breached and
accordingly ordered my release from detention. The conditions whereof
the court admitted me to bail have been met, but I have still not
been released from custody.
“I
am very much apprehensive about the President’s (Buhari) statement,
in that my rights will continually be violated and that no order for
my release will be honoured by the Federal Government of Nigeria or
any of its agencies.
“In
reaction to my the judgement of the court enforcing my fundamental
human right, an embarrassing statement was credited to Mr. Abubakar
Malami SAN, the current Attorney General of the Federation and
Minister of Justice on 13 July 2018 after the bail conditions have
been met, including the deposit of N1,000,000 with the Registrar of
the Federal High Court, stated that irrespective of the judgment
directing the said release, the Federal Government would not comply.
“At
this juncture, it will seem that the Nigerian Government is not
inclined to yield or obey the orders of any Court of Law; whether
domestic or international. Ironically, the Federal Government still
wants to ride on judicial wings to prosecute me, when it does not
comply with Orders that proceed from the Court, especially in
relation to me
“At
this point, I strongly believe that there must be an end to this
hypocrisy and lopsided/ partisan rule of law..
Since
the Federal Government has resolved not to comply with judicial
Orders directing my release, it is better for the Court to also
absolve me of the need to submit myself for further prosecution.
Justice should be evenly dispensed, as opposed to same, being in
favour of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
However,
at the resume trial today before Justice Ahmed Rahmat Mohammed, the
counsel to Federal Government Chief Dipo Opeseyi told the court that
Dasuki had deliberately refused to come to court because of his anger
on certain steps taking by the government against him.
In
his own reaction, Justice Muhammad directed the prosecution to always
depose to an affidavit of evidence whenever the former NSA declined
to come to court.
The
Judge who said he had not received Dasuki’s letter formally however
adjourned further trial till November 19, 2019.
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