Dasuki indicts Presidency in $15b arms deal

Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the former national security adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, has declared his readiness for trial over the alleged $15 billion arms deals facilitated by his office, The Nation has reported. The report said that Dasuki further protested his continued detention, adding that he only obeyed the directive of former President Goodluck Jonathan as dictated by civil service rules. “I am ready for trial because they have destroyed my family’s name and my professional integrity, especially how we successfully fought Boko Haram and recovered major towns and cities, not villages. “They should let my trial start in earnest to enable Nigerians know the truth from falsehood.

“I don’t believe in secret trial and there is no basis for it because the government has filed all necessary papers in court and attached the list of witnesses. “Since the witnesses have become public knowledge, there is no basis for secret trial,” Dasuki reportedly said through his associates and further queried his continued detention without warrant.

“Since I was detained in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS), I have not been shown any warrant to this effect or court order.

“I deserve to be shown the warrant of detention by DSS and the purpose for restricting me to house arrest. My detention is unlawful,” he complained, pleading with Nigerians to prevail on the government to admit him to bail in line in obedience to the government’s commitment to the rule of law. “All those who collected funds from ONSA have been granted bail but I am still in custody.

“I have been granted bail on all the cases filed against me by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and even DSS, but I have not been released.

“If all the beneficiaries of the so-called funds are on bail, what have I done wrong? Nigerians should help prevail on the government to grant me bail.

“I cannot rock the boat. I am prepared for trial. We did everything with national and security interest,” he said. “Based on the service rules in the security circle, I owe it a duty to obey the president and Commander-In-Chief. Ex-President Jonathan approved all the expenses incurred by ONSA.

“I am ready to prove in court how we complied with the directive of the ex-President,” he added.