$15b deals: I’m ready for trial, says ex-NSA Dasuki

   Dasuki

Former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) has protested his detention for alleged $15billion arms deals facilitated by the Office of National Security Adviser (ONSA).

 He says the Federal Government should allow his trial  to begin, The Nation learnt yesterday.

Dasuki is said to have told his associates that he is not disposed to a secret trial.

 He insists that based on service rules in a security system, he only obeyed the directive of the President and Commander-in-Chief,  former President Goodluck Jonathan.

 The ex-NSA, The Nation learnt,  told his associates: “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.

 There is a plan to try Dasuki’s case in secret to protect some of the witnesses. But Dasuki disagreed.

He said: ”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 also queried the rationale for keeping him in custody “without any warrant”.

 He said: “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 urged Nigerians to prevail on the government to admit him to bail in line with the present administration’s commitment to the Rule of Law.

 Dasuki said: “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.”

Dasuki stressed that he disbursed all the funds credited to ONSA based on the directive of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

 ”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.”

Dasuki was initially arrested by the DSS but EFCC took custody of him for trial.

But he was later returned to DSS facility from where he had been going to various courts.

 The EFCC had arraigned Dasuki, and two others on 19-count charge of misappropriation of funds meant for purchase of arms before a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.