Sambo Dasuki regains freedom after 4 years in detention

NIGERIA – Former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki was today released after spending four years in detention. Both Nigerian courts and ECOWAS court have in the past granted bail to him but the Nigerian Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari continued to keep him in detention attributing it to security reasons.

Speaking on Channels TV in June 2016, Minister of Information and Culture, Mr. Lai Mohammed said government was holding Dasuki in defiance of court orders for security reason.

“In the case of Dasuki, every government will always thread this very thin line between personal liberty and national security. And I think you must give the government the credit to determine what is national security. In the case of Sambo Dasuki, the issue is a grave one.

“If the person is in possession of $1.2 billion; there are records that he moved in one day $1.2 billion in two transactions – we know the banks he moved them to. And you refused to tell us what you have done with that money, I don’t think it would be prudent to jeopardise the national security of a whole nation because of the individual freedom of one person. Because with $1.2 billion, you can destabilise a whole country.

“You see, all those who have been disturbing us about rule of law or the other, I just wish they would have the opportunity to be in government for a short time and they will see how difficult it is to balance personal freedom with national sec

Dasuki is on trial for alleged diversion of USD1.2 billion funds meant for arms deal. He is being charged by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) on 32 count charge bothering on diversion of funds meant for procurement of arms to fight the radical Boko Haram insurgents.