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Tag: Sambo Dasuki

  • Dasukigate: Court okays EFCC’s detention of Omisore

    Dasukigate: Court okays EFCC’s detention of Omisore

    Detained former Osun State Deputy Governor, Iyiola Omisore failed Friday in his quest for freedom as a High Court in Abuja dismissed his bail application.

    Omisore was arrested by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on July 3 for allegedly receiving about N1.3bn from the Office the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki in 2014 with no evidence of projects executed.

    He applied to the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), alleging unjust detention, breaches of his fundamental rights and sought to be admitted to bail.

    In a ruling Friday, Justice Olukayode Adeniyi faulted Omisore’s rationale for filing the application.

    The judge said Omisore’s prayers could not be granted because he filed the application while the order of the court, empowering the EFCC to remand him, was still subsisting.

    The judge noted that the order to remand him for 14 days was made by Justice J.O Okeke (also of the FCT High Court) on July 8, while Omisore filed the bail application on July 11.

    Justice Adeniyi held that the only option open to Omisore was to await the expiration of the remand order to renew his application for bail.

    The judge said under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, where an order for the remand of a suspect is made by a High Court, the order can only be reversed or set aside by a court sitting as an appellate jurisdiction.

    Justice Adeniyi observed that lawyer to Omisore, Goddie Uche (SAN) failed to show with “any legal submission” that the court has the power to grant bail to the suspect despite the subsistence of the earlier order for his remand.

    He noted that: “In the present case, the remand order was issued on July 8, 2016. It is not in dispute that this instant application was filed on the same date on July 8, 2016 and up till date, the said remand order has yet to fully run its course.

    “Therefore, by my understanding of the provisions of the ACJA, the only time the court is competent to consider whether or not to exercise its discretion to grant bail to a suspect, in the same situation with the applicant in the present case, is either pursuant to section 295 of the ACJA, at the point the application for remand is made, or in the case when a suspect is still in custody or remand at the expiration of the order of remand made pursuant to section 296(1) and (2) of the Act,” the judge said.

    Justice Adeniyi said if Omisore’s lawyer had informed Justice Okeke that the EFCC had granted the ex-Senator an administrative bail, the order for his remand may not have been made, and perhaps, Justice Okeke might have granted bail to Omisore.

    The judge added, “Nevertheless, the court, having in its wisdom and competently so, ordered the remand of the applicant in the first respondent’s (EFCC’s) custody for 14 days, which order is still subsisting, any attempt to grant the instant application will be tantamount, in my firm view, to vacating the remand order.

    “I do not suppose that the ACJA envisages or contemplates the situation wherein, a court other than a court exercising appellate jurisdiction, having made an order of remand under sections 294 and 296 thereof, should proceed within the lifespan of the same order to make such other order upon the application of the suspect which has the effect of countermanding the remand order.

    “The applicant’s learned counsel has failed to show what power this court has and I am not aware of any to make an order in the nature as prayed in the instant application which has the tendency and implication of upturning a subsisting order of my learned brother, Okeke J.

    “I must therefore agree with the submissions of the first defendant’s counsel that in the present situation, that the court having made an order for the remand of the applicant for a period of 14 days, cannot turn around to make another order countermanding the same order for remand for the release of the applicant on bail.

    “In other words, the issue of bail to the suspect cannot arise before the same court that has validly made an order for his remand during the lifespan of the order.

    “In my view, the cause open to the applicant is to await the expiration of the order made on July 8, 2016 and thereafter exercise his rights under section 296(3) of the ACJA to renew his application for bail.

    “In totality, and without any further ado, my decision is that the instant application is premature in the circumstance. It is hereby incompetent and inappropriate.

    “Even though, I have not considered it on merit, the application must and is hereby dismissed,” Justice Adeniyi said.

    The EFCC had, while opposing the bail application on Thursday, justified its continued detention of Omisore and urged the court to refuse his application.

    The commission, in a counter affidavit deposed to by one of its operatives, Kassim Yusuf, said it was‎ still investigating Omisore for alleged offences including, retention of proceeds of crime, among others. Yusuf, who stated that Omisore’s arrest and detention were backed by court orders, said the commission was planning to invite a number of the ex-Deputy Governor’s associates, who he named during interrogation.

    He said the EFCC is ” investigating cases of alleged payments $ade by the office of immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to individuals and companies, with nothing to show for it.

    “In one of the alleged cases which the 1st respondent (EFCC) is investigating, the name of the applicant (Omisore) featured prominently as a sole signatory to Firmex Gilt Ltd’s bank account domiciled at United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc.

    “A copy of a letter to UBA, forwarding signatory mandate card and statement of account of Firmex Gilt Ltd is hereby attached.

    “Several payments were also made by the office of the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki Trtd) into the bank account of Sylvan Menamara Ltd domiciled at Diamond Bank, with nothing to show for for it.

    “Copies of e-payment schedules from ONSA and statement of accounts of Sylvan Menamara Ltd are hereby attached.

    “From Sylvan Menamara Ltd’s Diamondaccount, the sum of N160,000,000 was deposited into the said account on 4th August, 2014 by the then NSA. Thus sum was subsequently transferred into Firmex Gilt Ltd’s bank account domiciled at UBA Plc on 8th August 2014.

    “Investigation so far carried out, reveals that the applicant recieved hundreds of millions of naira from the office of the National Security Adviser, with nothing to show for it.

    “In the course of interviewing the applicant, he has mentioned names of persons and companies through which monies from the office of the National Security Adviser got to him.

    “There is need to those persons and companies mentioned by the applicant to make some clarification. If the applicant is granted bail, he will interfere with witnesses and he will also prejudice and frustrate our on-going investigation,” Yusuf said.

  • Court adjourns hearing on Dasuki’s motion to October 5

    Court adjourns hearing on Dasuki’s motion to October 5

    A Federal Capital Territory (FTC) High Court, Maitama, on Monday adjourned a former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki’s, motion for consolidation of two cases against him to October 5.

    Dasuki, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the NSA, and Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former Executive Director at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) were arraigned for alleged diversion of N13.6 billion.

    Also being tried were two firms – Acacia Holding Limited and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited.

    At the last sitting, the motion was not moved due to the absence of Salisu’s counsel, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN).

    Dasuki’s counsel, Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr. Solomon Umoh (SAN), Counsel to Baba-Kusa, had said the motion should be moved in the presence of Olujimi.

    Sequel to their submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf, adjourned the case to July 11.

    However, High Courts in Nigeria commenced their annual vacation on Monday, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.

    All counsel in the case and the defendants were in court on Monday to pick a new date for hearing on the motion.

     

  • Metuh ‘supports’ anti-graft war

    Metuh ‘supports’ anti-graft war

    The former spokesperson of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olisa Metuh, has expressed his support for the present administration anti-corruption campaign.

    Metuh’s counsel, Onyechi Ikpeazu (SAN), said in a statement on Thursday that the ex-PDP spokesman has agreed to return the N400 million he allegedly received from the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to the Federal Government.

    Ikpeazu said his client’s legal team and officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have begun talks to facilitate the return of the funds to federal government.

    The statement reads: “We want to explain the reasons for our client’s proposal to refund the N400 million released to him by former President Goodluck Jonathan, and which was expended on a project approved by the ex-President on national issues relating to his Presidency and the federal government at that time.

    “We want to restate that at the time the money was released to him after his presentation to the ex-President, our client had no knowledge of the source, a fact that is now obvious from the evidence of the prosecution and defence witnesses. Our client had every cause to believe that the money was from the ex-President to whom he made a presentation, received directives and rendered report and accounts accordingly.

    “When the matter first came up, and Chief Metuh was invited to the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) in December 2015, he requested to know the source of the money and expressed his readiness to make refunds if it was from government coffers, not minding that the money had been expended as directed by the former President. Officials at ONSA never got back to him as they promised, until his arrest by the EFCC in January 2016.

    “It was, however while in court that a document was brought regarding the source of the money and since then, our client has made manifest his willingness to refund the money and has indeed approached his family, friends and associates to mobilise funds to refund the entire N400 million to the government regardless of the fact that the money had been expended based on the directives of the former President and that part of the money had been recovered from one of the prosecution witnesses.

    “We want to confirm that since then, we have been in talks with the Ministry of Justice, the EFCC and other necessary bodies on how to refund the money and resolve the issue.

    “Our client occupied no government office. His commitment and dedication to his official duties have been confirmed by even prosecution witnesses. In this whole saga, he has been an unfortunate victim of circumstances. His refunding the money, therefore, goes to show his support for the anti-corruption war as well as serve as a testament to his sincerity, integrity and honesty in this matter.

    “There is no doubt that the prosecution has considerably embarked on some expenses in the course of this case. It is hoped that by not discounting the sum already recovered, whatever cost so far incurred would have been defrayed. By this, a critical objective of recovery of funds would no doubt be achieved.

    “It is pertinent to restate our client’s continued support for the anti-corruption campaign, which is necessary to ensure probity in the affairs of Nigeria to the extent that it is conducted within the rule of law.

    “Finally, it is our client’s prayer that this nation shall come through this difficult time by the grace of the Almighty God.”

  • Jonathan’s cousin remanded in Kuje prison

    Jonathan’s cousin remanded in Kuje prison

    A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered that Mr. Azibaola Robert, a cousin of ex- president Goodluck Jonathan, be remanded in Kuje Prison pending the determination of his bail application.

    Azibaola and his wife, Stella, were arraigned before Justice Dimgba for allegedly receiving a $40m contract from former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki.

    The couple, alongside their company, Oneplus Holding Limited, were arraigned on a seven- count charge of money laundering and fraud.

    While the judge ruled that Stella could continue to enjoy the administrative bail earlier granted her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he picked Wednesday for ruling on Azibaola’s bail application.

  • Judge’s absence stalls ruling on legality of Dasuki’s detention

    Judge’s absence stalls ruling on legality of Dasuki’s detention

    The Absence of Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja stalled the ruling scheduled fro yesterday on whether or not the continued detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki was legal.
    Dasuki, who is on trial before the court on charges of money laundering and illegal possession of firearms, had challenged his continued detention and urged the court to either quash the charge against him or halt proceedings indefinitely until he was released from detention.
    The ex-NSA, in a motion argued by his lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN), accused the prosecution of violating an earlier of the court, admitting him to bail. He urged the court not to further indulge the prosecution by allowing it to continue with proceedings in the case.
    Justice Ademola was expected to rule yesterday on whether or not Dasuki’s continued detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) was a violation of his earlier orders granting him bail and permitting him to travel abroad for medical reasons.
    When parties got to court yesterday, they were informed by court officials that the judge was not available.
    It was learnt that the judge’s absence was in relation to the court’s Easter vacation which was still on as at yesterday.
    No date has been fixed for the ruling as an official of the court said it was the prerogative of the judge only to determine when to schedule for judgement or ruling.
    Similar application by Dasuki had been rejected by two judges in earlier rulings.
    Justice Peter Affen of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) had, in a ruling on March 4 this year, held thaT Dasuki’s application lacked merit.
    The judge further held that the order granting bail to the defendant (Dasuki) did not preclude him from being re-arrested by other agencies of the Federal Government in respect of other alleged crime.
    “Though, both the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the DSS are agencies of the Federal Government of Nigeria, they are established under separate enactments and vested with distinct legal persona, powers and responsibilities such that one is not liable for action or inaction of the other.
    “Even criminal prosecution is undertaken by them separately in the name of the Federal Government of Nigeria merely to facilitate the due administration of justice, which does not alter the mark of separate and distinct legal identities.
    “This being so, the inevitable conclusion to reach is that the applicant has not made out a proper case of disobedience of the order made by this court on December 21, 2015 and therefore there is no legal or factual basis upon which the court can prohibit the complainant from further prosecuting the instant charges not to mention any other charge before any other court as prayed by the second defendant.
    “The point has already been made that the order allegedly disobeyed or violated did not contemplate any government agency other than the EFCC and that this court did not restrain the arrest, the re-arrest or detention of the second defendant or any of the defendants for further offences when alleged against them,” the judge said.
    Justice Affen added that there was “no correlation” between the prayer sought by Dasuki to discharge him and the alleged disobedience of court order.
    “I have found no correlation whatsoever and none has been demonstrated between the alleged disobedience of court order and being discharged of the offences charged.
    “I take the considered view that even if the second defendant/applicant has succeeded in establishing the case of disobedience of the orders granted on December 21, 2015, and I have already held that he did not do so, that would not constitute valid grounds for discharging him of the offences preferred against him,” he said.
    On February 9 this year, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf (also of the High Court of the FCT) held, in a ruling on   a similar application by Dasuki, held that the ex-NSA was in error in his argument that his continued detention was in breach of a subsisting order of the court.
  • Dasukigate: Why Jonathan should face trial – Ndume

    Dasukigate: Why Jonathan should face trial – Ndume

    Senate Majority Leader, Senator Mohammed Ali Ndume, Thursday said that former President Goodluck Jonathan should face trial if he covertly instigated the sharing of $2.1billion given to former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, to buy arms.

    He also said that Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state.

    Ndume who spoke to reporters in Abuja noted that if Jonathan who approved $2.1 billion for the purchase of arms turned back to give directive secretly that the money should be shared among his cronies, he should be prosecuted.

    He said, “I do not want to dabble into that being one of the victims of the insurgency. My house was taken over by insurgents and my town was declared a caliphate of the insurgents. My Emir was killed while these people were smiling to the banks with the money that was meant to buy arms and ammunition.

    “It was for lack of ammunition that the Nigerian Armed Forces had to run away.

    “As far as I am concerned, these people are living on blood money, the blood of so money innocent citizens of this country particularly from the North East.

     “No justice is too much for them, nobody is supposed to be spared. Because the case is judicial and I am not a lawyer to determine who should be brought to book, what I am saying is that justice should be served.

    “Over 10,000 people have lost their lives, at one time you could see my people were slaughtered like chickens and the reason why this happened was because our army was not equipped and not well kitted.

    “And somebody made away with the money meant for the procurement of arms and ammunition.

    “I am not defending President Jonathan but he approved that this money be used for procurement of arms. So if the law says he should be part of those that should be part of the accountability or those that should face justice, I think nobody should be spared.

    “I really don’t want to make comment on that but anybody that is involved in that blood money should be held responsible.

    “If the President approved that money in the name of buying arms while giving a directive that it should be shared among his cronies, then he should face the law.

    “If anybody is supposed to buy arms and you gave them money to buy arms, as the president, after some time you should ask `where are the arms anyway.”

    Let me add and clearly that is my position, if because of this or any other criminality Jonathan should face the law, he should, I did, I am facing the law.

    “Nobody is supposed to be above the law, if Jonathan is a culprit he should face the law: if there is evidence that the former president should face the law then he should. After all, he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.”

    On the trial of the Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, by Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), he said that the issue is being blown out of proportion.

    Ndume wondered why his own trial on allegation of being a Boko Haram sponsor, is not getting the kind of attention Saraki’s trial by the CCT is receiving.

    He said, “Do you know that I am still in court on a more serious issue.

    “The President of the Senate is in court for assets declaration but I am in court for a more serious issue that I am alleged to be a sponsor of Boko Haram

    “I have been in court for four years so why is it not an issue.

    “I have not complained, it is not a big deal. I am still the Leader of the Senate and my role is as important as that of the President of the Senate but it is not a big deal.

    “Why are you making his own case a big deal? I think the Nigerian press trivializes things, dramatises issues, and concentrates on events and personalities instead of ideas: does that help us?”

    The killings going on in Rivers State, Ndume said that Governor Wike should be held responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the state.

    He noted that as the Chief Security Officer of the state, Wike should on top of situation in his state.

    The Senate, he said, has always “condemned what is happening severally, not just in Rivers but anything that is happening that has to do with loss of lives and criminality we stand to condemn it.”

  • Tension in Edo PDP over non disbursement of election fund

    Tension in Edo PDP over non disbursement of election fund

    The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state heightened Tuesday following the revelation by members of the party that the leadership of the party in the state led by Chief Dan Orbih allegedly received the sum of N500million for the presidential election of former President Goodluck Jonathan without the knowledge of leaders of the party.

    Nation gathered that the money which is part of the N2.1 billion which was shared by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, was said to have been paid into the account of the Edo state PDP through Hartman Company, belonging to the former chairman BOT of the PDP, Chief Tony Anenih.

    Nation was reliably informed that the matter which is being investigated by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) led the commission to contact the Orbih led Executive if such amount was received in the state.

    It was learnt that in their reply to the Commission, the party Executive agreed that the said amount was received and was disbursed to party Executives and leaders across the 18 Local Government Areas of the state for the Jonathan Campaign.

    The revelation angered both some members of the state Exco of PDP and party leaders who expressed shock that they never knew that such money came. And that was part of the reasons why most of the leaders called for the removal of the Orbih led Exco.

    A leader of the party in the state, who spoke to Nation, “said we are petitioning the EFCC to also investigate how the money was disbursed in Edo state because we never knew about the money until we learnt from Orbih’s response to the EFCC that the money was received. So they should tell us who they gave the money to. We will formally address the media on this issue.”

  • Dasukigate: Falana asks ICC to investigate Dasuki, others

    Dasukigate: Falana asks ICC to investigate Dasuki, others

    Lagos lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has asked the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate allegations of crimes against humanity committed by some former and serving military officers, public officials and private persons including former security adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki who are involved in the alleged diversion of $8 billion earmarked for procurement of arms and armaments for the armed forces to fight insurgency.

    The request is contained in a petition dated January 19, 2016 and sent to the Prosecutor of the ICC Mrs Fatou Bensouda.

    Specifically, Falana urged the ICC prosecutor to “urgently investigate proprio motu the allegations of the criminal diversion of the security fund of $2.1 billion and N643 billion earmarked by suspected perpetrators, with a view to determining whether these amount to crimes against humanity within the Court’s jurisdiction”
    He said the ICC prosecutor should also invite representatives of the Nigerian government to provide written or oral testimony at the seat of the Court, “ so that the Prosecutor is able to conclude on the basis of available information whether there is a reasonable basis for an investigation, and to submit a request to the Pre-Trial Chamber for authorization of an investigation.

    According to Falana, the prosecutor should bring to justice those suspected to bear full responsibility for deliberate under funding of the armed forces through widespread and systematic corruption in Nigeria.

    He urged the Nigerian government to fulfill its obligations under the Rome Statute to cooperate with the ICC; including complying with your requests to arrest and surrender suspected perpetrators of the criminal diversion of security fund, testimony, and provide other support to the ICC.

    The lawyer whose firm represented a majority of the soldiers charged with mutiny, cowardly behavior and sundry offences before the courts-martial instituted by the former military authorities said the only “offence” proved against the soldiers in the military courts were that they had the temerity to demand for weapons to fight the well equipped troops of the Boko Haram sect.”
    Falana alleged that the insurgents have killed about 25,000 soldiers and civilians including children and displaced over 2,000,000 people because of the refusal of the former military authorities to equip and motivate the members of the armed forces involved in combat operations.

    He alleged further that the former military authorities compromised the security of the people of Nigeria by collaborating with the terrorists and deliberately encouraged the brutal killing of innocent people including ill-equipped officers and soldiers.

    He submitted that the former public officials, serving and military officers as well as civilian collaborators who engaged in the criminal diversion of the security fund are liable to bear full responsibility for the death of about 25,000 people who were killed by the Boko Haram sect and the over 2,000,000 people displaced by the terrorist organisation.

  • Court adjourns Dasuki’s trial over lawyers’ absence

    Court adjourns Dasuki’s trial over lawyers’ absence

    A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, on Thursday adjourned the trial of the ex National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, till Friday, due to the absence of his lawyers.

    Dasuki is standing trial for alleged diversion of $2.1billion arms procurement fund.

    The presiding judge, Justice Baba Yusuf, took the decision after he was informed that Dasuki’s lawyers – Mr. Joseph Daudu (SAN) and Mr. Ahmed Raji (SAN) – are attending an  election petition tribunal’s sitting in Kogi.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) lawyer, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), did not oppose Dasuki’s lawyers’ request for adjournment.

    The judge later fixed 11:00am on Friday for resumption of hearing in the case.

     

     

     

  • FG appeals court’s order on Dasuki’s passport

    FG appeals court’s order on Dasuki’s passport

    The Federal Government has appealed the decision by the Federal High Court, Abuja to release the international passport of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, to enable him travel abroad.

    Justice Adeniyi Ademola had on September 3, granted Dasuki’s prayer for the release of his passport to enable him travel to the United Kingdom on health ground.

    He is said to be suffering from colorectal cancer, the form of cancer that affects the cells of the colon or the rectum.

    In a notice of appeal filed for the Federal Government by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Muhammad Diri, the Court of Appeal, Abuja was urged to reverse the decision by Justice Ademola on the ground that the judge erred in relying on the authority of Ibori v. the state.

    Diri argued that “the order of the trial court releasing the international passport is perverse and ought to be quashed. The decision is unwarranted, unreasonable and cannot be supported having regard to the facts of the case.”

    Diri told the Federal High Court Thursday that the appeal was not yet entered because the court’s record of proceedings has not been made available to the prosecution team. He equally handed a copy of the appeal notice to Dasuki’s lawyer, Joseph Daudu (SAN).

    Earlier, the court dismissed the prosecution’s application seeking to compel Dasuki to attend proceedings.

    Justice Ademola held that under the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015, a defendant need not attend court during the hearing of interlocutory motions.

    The judge adjourned to December 3 for the hearing of pending applications, including the prosecution’s motion seeking an order revoking the bail granted the defendant (Dasuki) on September1 this year.

    The motion is hinged on the ground that Dasuki was being investigated in relation to his alleged involvement in the mismanagement of funds meant for the purchase of arms and military equipment under the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

    “Interim report as submitted to the Federal Government indicated that resources running into over $2billion were allegedly corruptly embezzled and the investigation is unfolding further facts that require the presence of the respondent to assist in the investigation.

    “As a result of the interim report submitted to the Federal Government, there is a government directive for the arrest of all those indicted by the report, including the defendant. The public interest of the nation is at stake and investigation has to be properly conducted to logical conclusion.

    “The on-going investigation, which borders on money laundering against the defendant has also not been concluded and there is fear that investigation might be tampered with on account of foreign visit by the respondent before the completion of investigation.

    “Intelligence revealed that the defendant has concluded plans to take advantage of the order of this court releasing his international passport to escape justice and tamper with ongoing investigation.”

    It stated that it had received information from the National Hospital, Abuja that the ailment complained about by Dasuki, and for which he seeks to travel abroad was “not a life threatening ailment and facilities are locally available for the treatment.

    The Chief medical Director of the National Hospital, Dr. J.A.F. Momoh, in a letter written in response to inquiry by the Solicitor General of the Federation (SGF), Taiwo Abidogun on whether Dasuki’s ailment could be treated in the country, answered in the affirmative.

    Part of the letter dated October 26, 2015 reads; “the treatment of colorectal cancer involves pre-treatment investigations, which include ultrasound, computerized scanner and other laboratory tests to facilitate surgery.

    “These investigations as well as the surgical expertise for surgical treatment of this lesion are available at the National Hospital as well as some teaching hospitals in Nigeria. Following the surgery, there is almost always need for adjuvant chemotherapy, which are equally available in Nigeria.

    “I submit that facilities needed to treat colorectal cancer, including external beam radiotherapy in very advanced colorectal cancer are available in National Hospital, Abuja.”