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Tag: Sambo Dasuki

  • Dasuki: Court rules on FG’s fresh application for witnesses’ protection

    Dasuki: Court rules on FG’s fresh application for witnesses’ protection

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, has fixed March 1 to rule on a fresh application by the Federal Government seeking to protect witnesses in the ongoing trial of former National Security Adviser, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    The application dated Jan.23, and filed on Jan. 24 was argued by counsel to the Federal Government, Mr Dipo Okpeseyi, who  prayed the court to allow the witnesses use acronyms instead of their real names.

    He said that the prosecution wanted the witnesses to be known to the public by acronyms such as “xyz” and that only the court would know the true identity and name of each witness.

    Okpeseyi further told the court that it was the understanding of the prosecution that the defence would not object to the application.

    He said the prosecution was, however, surprised in court on Tuesday when the defence, led by Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), served him with a counter-motion objecting to the application for protection of witnesses.

    Okpeseyi prayed the court for a short adjournment to study the counter-motion, saying it was voluminous and had to be studied carefully before replying.

    Raji said that he was not opposing the application for an adjournment.

    “The motion was brought to us late on Thursday and we prepared our counter-affidavit and served on them only this morning, so we will not object to the adjournment sought by Okpeseyi to enable him respond.”

    Justice Ahmed Mohammed adjourned the matter till March 1 for hearing.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Dasuki in this case, is facing charges of unlawful possession of fire arms preferred against him by the Department of State Security (DSS)

    NAN further reports that the case was previously before Justice Adeniyi Ademola, but following his arrest by the DSS, he said he would no longer handle any matter involving the service, hence its transfer to Justice Mohammed.

    The application for witness protection was brought before Ademola, but he refused the application, saying that there was nothing to hide since the names of the witnesses were already on the internet.(NAN)

  • EFCC re-arraigns Dasuki, Yuguda, others

    EFCC re-arraigns Dasuki, Yuguda, others

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday re-arraigned, retired Col. Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser (NSA) and five others, for alleged diversion, and criminal breach of trust at an FCT High Court.

    The others were Bashir Yuguda, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the NSA, Dalhatu Investment Ltd., Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafarawa, a former governor of Sokoto State.

    They were re-arraigned on a 22-count charge before Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf,  and they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Baba-Yusuf ordered that the existing bail condition be maintained after listening to submissions of all counsel to the defendants  and the prosecuting counsel.

    The Prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), opposed the upholding of Dasuki’s bail, saying that he was still being held by the Department of State Services (DSS) since he was granted bail earlier.

    Jacobs also applied for date to open his case against the defendants since they pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    This, he said, was in accordance with Section 396 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which provides for day-to-day trial.

    Dasuki’s  counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), objected, saying that the EFCC  brought his client to court and not DSS.

    He also said that ECOWAS court had earlier given a valid judgment on the issue and objected to the suggestion of Rotimi.

    He argued that the day-to-day trial was when the case fully commences.

    The counsel to other defendants aligned with Dr Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), Counsel to Bafaarawa, saying that Section 396 of ACJA should not be put above the provisions of in Section 36 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

    Fagbemi said that the section provides for fair hearing and so it would not be right for the defendants to be arraign today and trial to commence tomorrow.

    Baba-Yusuf adjourned till Feb. 24 for commencement of trial.

    Dasuki and others were earlier arraigned on a 22-count charge bordering on diversion, conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and criminal breach of trust of about N19.4 billion before Justice Peter Affen in December 2015.

    The defendants were also granted bail by Affen in the sum of N250 million each with two sureties each in the like sum.

    Affen said that one of sureties must be a retired or serving civil servant in Federal Government’s employment, reside within the court’s jurisdiction and own landed property in Abuja.

    The case was consolidated and transferred to Baba-Yusuf’s court following an application by Chief Joseph Daudu, counsel to Dasuki. (NAN)

  • N400m fraud: Metuh tells court to subpoena Dasuki as witness

    N400m fraud: Metuh tells court to subpoena Dasuki as witness

    A former National Publicity Secretary of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has asked the Federal High Court, Abuja, to subpoena former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to testify in his trial.

    At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, Counsel to Metuh, Mr Emeka Etiaba (SAN), reminded the judge, Justice Okon Abang, of a pending subpoena before the court to invite Dasuki as the next witness.

    Abang, however, advised that both the defence and prosecuting counsel liaise with the authority holding Dasuki to release him to appear in court.

    He said that it was only after the defence and prosecution had approached the relevant authority and the authority refused to release Dasuki to them that they should come back to him.

    Counsel to the second defendant Tochukwukwu Onwugbufor (SAN) however said it was the duty of the court to issue a subpoena to anyone to appear in court.

    The defence team filed the subpoena on Dec. 2, 2016.

    It was premised on the grounds that since the allegation against Metuh revolved around Dasuki, it was important for Dasuki to be a witness in the matter.

    Meanwhile, following the stalling of the case on Tuesday due to the ill-health of Metuh, the defence, at today’s sitting presented a medical report from the National Hospital with details of his health condition.

    The defence team told the court that Metuh was unable to appear in court because he was admitted at the National Hospital for complications arising from spinal cord injuries.

    Etiaba said that the medical experts handling the defendant’s ailment were unable to give the specific date for his full recovery due to the nature of the ailment.

    He asked the court for a three-week adjournment for the defendant to recuperate and also seek further medical attention.

    Onwugbufor, for his part, told the court that he had seen the medical report and that he was suffering the same ailment as the defendant.

    He said he was able to get the right medical care only in London, and urged the court to look at the defendant’s case with compassion since his condition was even more critical than his.

    According to him, what Metuh is suffering is excruciating and requires expert attention to ensure full recovery.

    Prosecuting counsel, Mr Sylvanus Tahir, said that he was not opposed to an adjournment, adding that the prosecution sympathised with the defence and wished the defendant quick recovery.

    “We have been served with the medical report of the defendant and we have little or nothing to say since the record speaks for itself. All we can say is that we extend our sympathy to the defence.

    “With regards to the request for a three-week adjournment, we are taking them by their word since the medical report did not give an indication about how soon the defendant will be discharged.

    “It only says his management will continue until he gets well and I am not opposed to the adjournment,’’ Tahir said.

    Abang adjourned continuation of hearing in the matter till Feb. 21 and Feb. 24.

  • Sambo Dasuki’s agony

    Sambo Dasuki’s agony

    A few years ago, it would be difficult for former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to contemplate the condition in which he is at the moment. He was at the top of his career, and wining and dining in the Aso Rock Presidential Villa as one of the most powerful men in the country. But fortune has since made a mockery of his once high status. Today, he is a broken man stripped of power and influence.

    As if to compound his woes, he lost his father early in the week. The 18th Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, passed away at a private medical facility in Abuja on Monday night. It was gathered that the late Sultan, who was deposed by the Sani Abacha junta in 1996, died of natural causes. He was 93.

    He has since been buried according to Islamic rites at the Hubbaren Shehu Usman Dan Fodio Site in Sokoto State.

    No doubt, the demise of the former Sultan is an additional source of sorrow for Sambo Dasuki who has been in custody since December last year for allegedly masterminding the diversion of more than $2 million meant for acquisition of arms in the fight against the deadly Boko Haram sect.

  • Dasuki’s lawyer fault claim on permission to visit late father

    Dasuki’s lawyer fault claim on permission to visit late father

    Lawyer to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, Ahmed Raji (SAN) has faulted claim that his client was given permission to visit his late father, Ibrahim Dasuki, in an Abuja hospital.
    Raji, while speaking after proceedings in the case involving Dasuki on Wednesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Maitama, Abuja, said it was doubtful that such permission was extended to his client by the state.
    Raji said the purported offer was doubtful because none of his client’s lawyers was contacted on the issue.
    He said: “As his counsel, we are not aware of that offer. Our client has not told us anything of that nature. We would have expected that if such a gesture was going to be made to him we as his counsel should have been involved so that we can advise him properly.
    “As I am speaking to you, I am hearing of this for the first time,” Raji said.
    The lawyer faulted the continued detention of his client after bail had been granted to him by courts, including the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Community Court.
    Meanwhile, proceedings were put off yesterday in the $2.2B  fraud charge brought against Dasuki and others by the Federal Government.
    The decision to adjourn proceedings was informed by agreement by lawyers in the case that hearing be shifted to another date in view of the death of Dasuki’s father.
    Trial judge, Justice Huseini Baba-Yusuf adjourned to December 7.
    The court on October 21 agreed to request by parties in the case that the two charges involving Dasuki, marked: FCT/HC/CR/43/2015 and FCT/HC/CR/42/2015 be heard Justice Baba Yusuf.
    The first case involved Dasuki, a former Director of Finance, Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu; a former Executive Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa and his two companies –  Acacia Holding Limited, and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.
    They are accused, in the case currently before Justice Baba-Yusuf, of diverting about N13.6 billion, property of the office of the NSA.
    The second case (that was before Justice Affen), involves Dasuki, ex-Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, a former Director of Finance at the office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu, a former governor of Sokoto state, Attahiru Bafarawa, his son, Sagir Bafarawa and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited.
    They are accused, in the second case, of diverting about N9.2billion from the office of the NSA.
  • Dasuki didn’t steal $2.2 billion, says Jonathan

    Dasuki didn’t steal $2.2 billion, says Jonathan

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan has come to the defense of his former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    Dasuki is presently facing trial for the embezzlement of funds meant for purchase of equipment and other logistics for the war against the insurgents, Boko Haram, in the North-East.

    Speaking at Oxford University in the United Kingdom, Jonathan maintained that Dasuki didn’t steal $2.2 billion.

    In a statement by his Media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze, the former President said that he worked for next the generation during his tenure and not next election.

    Defending his administration’s Transformation Agenda, he said that it was designed to engage the latent potential in the entire nation and stimulate higher productivity.

    He said: “While serving as President of Nigeria, I worked for the next generation and not for the next elections. Somebody must sacrifice and work for the next generation otherwise your children’s children will suffer the same predicaments as you have.

    Jonathan, who was speaking to students of Oxford University on youth entrepreneurship, also pointed out that quality education and youth empowerment were at the heart of Africa’s growth and development.

    “I am excited to be in the midst of some of the World’s future leaders to discuss issues relating to youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. The issue of youth entrepreneurship in Africa is very critical, as Africa is the only continent in which we will witness a population boom.

    “Most violent crises in Africa can be traced to a lack of education and opportunities among its teeming youth population. Studies have revealed that there is a symbiotic relationship between youth unemployment and youth restiveness.

    “As a leader, you can decide through your policies to educate the youths, or face the consequences of failing to do so. The Transformation Agenda was conceived to engage the latent potential in the entire nation, and to stimulate and enable higher productivity,” he added.

    He emphasized that his Administration came up with various programmes to encourage young entrepreneurs including the youth enterprise with innovation in Nigeria (YOUWIN). We reformed the institutions and introduced various mechanisms to stop the problems associated with in our country without much publicity.

    “We may not have been perfect, but we did our best, and our best yielded an era of unprecedented economic growth for Nigeria. A growth that proved the truism that a Nation’s wealth is not underneath the ground but between the ears of her people. Nigeria was rated as the
    largest economy in Africa and the 23rd in the world by the World Bank and the IMF, with a GDP above US$570 billion.”

    “We identified Nollywood as a sector that can employ many young people and provided a grant of $200 million to boost the industry. As a result, Nollywood became a major contributor to our GDP and in 2014, the industry contributed 1.4% to our GDP.

    Jonathan also recalled that as Governor of Bayelsa State and later the President of Nigeria, he asked himself some critical questions:

    “Why do individuals that grow up in similar circumstances end up differently, with some as successes and others as failures? Why are some nations rich and some poor? Is the wealth of nations a result of geography, weather, culture, destiny? What could a leader do to effectively lift a people out of the depths of poverty, and enable them to achieve prosperity?

    “After much soul searching, I concluded that: wealth is a creation of the human mind properly prepared by education. Any nation that does not spend its wealth and resources to develop the capacity of its youth will be forced to use them to fight insecurity”

    He challenged African leaders to see youth entrepreneurship as a collective project transcending national boundaries.

    Despite incredible challenges, he said that Nigerian youths are achieving great things and placing Nigeria positively in the world map.

  • 55 Nigerians stole N1.3trillion under Jonathan – PACAC

    55 Nigerians stole N1.3trillion under Jonathan – PACAC

    Fifty-five people stole N1.3trillion from the national treasury in seven years under President Goodluck Jonathan’s watch, the Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption (PACAC) has said.

    The committee said Jonathan tolerated corruption, closed his eyes to graft while his administration fared worse than his predecessors in tackling official sleaze.

    In its report of activities from August 2015 to July 2016 presented to civil society organisations (CSOs) by its Executive Secretary Prof Bolaji Owasanoye during an interactive session in Abuja Thursday, PACAC said corruption brought Nigeria under to its knees under Jonathan.

    The report says: “His (Jonathan’s) tolerance of corruption was reflected in the sunset of activities of anti-corruption agencies under his watch and exponential increase of other vices no doubt fuel by corruption.

    “For example, it is widely believed that insecurity escalated because of the massive embezzlement of $2billion through the Office of the National Security Adviser under the leadership of Col. Sambo Dasuki, who allegedly diverted the money appropriated to fight insurgency.

    “The problems in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry reached zenith with multi-billion dollars subsidy scams while President Jonathan looked the other way.

    “At the same time, other vices spread like cancer – kidnapping, import duty waivers, financial recklessness, a profligate legislature, corrupt judiciary, etc. There was no single high profile conviction under his watch yet there were allegations of high profile corruption within his cabinet.

    “Jonathan’s legendary comment that stealing is not corruption underscored his perspective on corruption and remains a watershed in the history of anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria.

    “Under his watch, corruption brought Nigeria to its knees.”

    PACAC said using World Bank rates, one-third of the N1.3trillion allegedly stolen by only 55 people in seven years could have provided 635.18 kilometers of roads, built 36 ultra-modern hospitals in each state, built and furnished 183 schools, educated 3,974 people from primary to tertiary level (at N25.2million per child) and built 20,062 units of two-bedroom houses.

    The committee noted that while former President Olusegun Obasanjo established key anti-corruption agencies which led to high-profile convictions even though “his actions were not above board”, the crusade against corruption went comatose from 2007 “largely due to leadership deficit”.

    PACAC said corruption is Nigeria’s greatest challenge and is directly associated with the current economic decline, poverty rates, reduced life expectancy, mortality and deteriorated living standards.

    Owasanoye said due to corruption, a few Nigerians were richer than their states, while plea bargaining was abused as people who stole the country dry were given slaps on the wrist and asked to go home.

    He said PACAC has designed a Plea Bargain Manual which mandates custodial sentence for all those who plead guilty of looting after returning all they stole.

    Other strategy documents developed by PACAC and adopted by the government, he said, are a draft National Anti-Corruption Action Plan and Strategy Document, Corruption Case Management Manual (full and abridged versions), Corruption Information/Intelligence Sharing Protocol, and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Corruption and other Related Economic Offences.

    Others are the Strategic Communication Blueprint for FGN in the Fight Against Corruption, Assets Recovery Strategy Document, Framework for Management and Administration of Recovered Stolen Assets, Draft Bill and Explanatory Memorandum for the Establishment of Special Crimes Court, amongst others.

     

  • Justice Ademola withdraws from Dasuki’s trial

    Justice Ademola withdraws from Dasuki’s trial

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola, the judge in the case against the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, has withdrawn from the cases.

    Ademola, one of the seven judges arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) on allegations of corruption, claimed that he was being harassed and intimidated by the service.

    He cited allegations of corruption by DSS against him, which is prosecuting Dasuki’s case, as the reason for his action.

    The judge claimed that he was being harassed and intimidated for granting bail to Dasuki and Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Radio Biafra.

  • Dasukigate: FG to pay N15m to Dasuki for damages

    Dasukigate: FG to pay N15m to Dasuki for damages

    …Declares his arrest and continued detention illegal

    The Community Court of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has declared the arrest and continued detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki unlawful, arbitrary and a violation of his right to liberty.

    The Court said it was wrong for the Federal Government to continue to detain him over undisclosed offences after he had been granted bail by three deferment courts before which he had been arraigned.

    The court, in a unanimous judgment of a three-man panel, read by Justice Friday Chijioke Nwoke awarded N15 million damages against the Federal Government and ordered it to immediately release him and his properties that were confiscated by state’s agents.

    The court, which held that the Nigerian state was unable to substantiate its continued detention of Dasuki, also faulted the search of his houses in Abuja and Sokoto without valid search warrant.

    The judgment was on a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed earlier this year by Dasuki.

  • Court of Appeal puts Dasuki’s appeal on hold

    Court of Appeal puts Dasuki’s appeal on hold

    The Court of Appeal on Monday put on hold hearing on an appeal filed by Sambo Dasuki, seeking discharge of all the criminal charges against him by the Federal Government.

    The presiding Judge, Justice Abdul Aboki, held that the appeal was not ripe for hearing since parties had failed to file all relevant process before the court.

    “As you have all seen, the respondent’s brief is not before us which means the process that should give room for the hearing of the appeal is not concluded yet.

    “We shall not be giving parties any date again until the proper thing is done,’’ Aboki held.

    The applicant (former National Security Adviser) headed to the appellate court over his prolonged detention by the Department of State Services (DSS).

    Dasuki had prayed the appellate court to set aside a judgment by an Abuja High Court that refused to stay proceedings of his trial following his prolonged detention.

    It would be recalled that Dasuki had been detained by the DSS since December 2015.

    He further urged the court to absolve him of the pending charges on account of the federal government disobedience to a court order which granted him bail.

    His re-arrest by the security agency came after Justice Ademola Adeniyi of the Federal High Court, Abuja, granted him bail from the custody of the EFCC.

    In his appeal, he also sought the stay of proceedings on his trial pending the obedience of three court orders granting him bail by the government.

    Dasuki said the Abuja High court which refused his earlier application for stay of proceedings of his trial erred in its ruling.

    The applicant is standing trial for alleged misappropriation of more than two billion dollars meant for arms purchases for the country’s military to fight the Boko Haram insurgents.