NIGERIA SEEKS REVOCATION OF DASUKI'S BAIL, WANTS EX-NSA IMPRISONED

The federal government, on Monday, asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to revoke the bail granted the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, on September 1, and also commit him to prison pending
his trial.
In a fresh motion on notice, the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation, Mohammed Diri, sought revocation of the bail granted the ex-NSA in the unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering charges earlier brought against him.
The motion, signed by Mr. Diri, was brought to the court pursuant to section 169 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The ground of the motion was that Mr. Dasuki was undergoing investigation by a committee auditing the procurement of arms in the armed forces and defence sector from 2007 to date.
The motion observed that the interim report of the probe panel indicated misappropriation of over $2billion, and that the investigation had been revealing further facts requiring the presence of Mr. Dasuki to assist in the investigation.
The motion also informed the court that there was a presidential directive for the arrest of those indicted including Mr. Dasuki and that the interest of the nation was at stake.
The federal government also claimed that the investigation of Mr. Dasuki had not been concluded and that he might tamper with the investigation if allowed to go abroad.
The motion further contended that the ailment of Mr. Dasuki could be treated at the National Hospital, Abuja and other teaching hospitals in the country.
It also said intelligence reports indicated that Mr. Dasuki wanted to use the foreign trip to escape justice and tamper with investigation.
The motion was supported by a four-paragraph affidavit.
Following the vehement objections raised by Mr. Dasuki’s lawyers against the fresh motion, Justice Adeniyi Ademola adjourned the matter to Thursday November 26.
However, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, again failed to appear before the court to explain the siege laid on Mr. Dasuki’s residence by operatives of the State Security Services (SSS) in spite of the bail granted him by the court.
Mr. Malami was summoned to explain why the federal government refused to allow the execution of the court order which permitted Mr. Dasuki to travel abroad for treatment.
The court had last week extended till Monday, November 23, the summon issued to Mr. Malami to appear in court to explain the continued siege on the former NSA’s residence.
The extension of the date till November 23 by Justice Ademola was at the instance of the Solicitor-General of the Federation Taiwo Abidogun.
Mr. Abidogun, who was in court for the first time on Mr. Dasuki’s case last week, informed the court that Mr. Malami was yet to assume office.
The solicitor-general also claimed during last week’s sitting that the AGF would assume office on Wednesday and would be briefed on the case between Thursday and Friday of that week.
The solicitor-general then urged the court to grant the attorney general permission to appear in court this Monday (today).
Last week’s application, which was not opposed by Mr. Dasuki’s lawyers, prompted the adjournment till today.