TheNewsGuru

Tag: dasuki

  • JUST IN: Appeal Court orders DSS to produce Dasuki in court

    JUST IN: Appeal Court orders DSS to produce Dasuki in court

    The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Friday ordered the Department of State Service, DSS, to produce the detained former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), before a Federal High Court in Abuja to enable him to testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh.

    In a unanimous judgement delivered by its three-man panel, the Court of Appeal also ordered the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court, Abuja before whom Metuh is being prosecuted to immediately sign the subpoena filed by the ex-PDP spokesperson.

    Justice Peter Ige, who prepared and read the lead judgement of the appellate court, directed Justice Abang to indicate the date which the DSS must produce Dasuki in court and other subsequent dates.

    It upheld Metuh’s appeal and nullified the ruling delivered by Justice Abang on February 23, 2017, when the judge refused to grant Metuh’s application for a subpoena to be issued and served on Dasuki.

  • Alleged $2.1bn arms deal: ‘I can’t be a fugitive, I’ll face any consequences’ – Dasuki

    Former National Security Adviser (NSA) to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd), has disclosed why he did not consider absconding in spite of the pressure of him to do so after he was implicated in a $2.1 billion arms procurement deals.

    He said he had to rebuff the pressure because he did not want to be a fugitive again.

    He also denied being one of the military officers who arrested President Muhammadu Buhari in August 1985 when Buhari was removed as military head of state.

    Dasuki made the disclosure in a book, An encounter with the Spymaster, written by Mallam Yushau Shuaib, the coordinator of PRNigeria, a military covert counter-insurgency media outfit.

    The ex-NSA said: “I can never be a fugitive after past Abacha’s attempt on my life in the 1990s. I will remain in Nigeria and face any consequences.”

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had in January this year re-arraigned Dasuki and five others before the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama.

    The other accused persons are a former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa, and his son, Sagir; a former Director of Finance and Administration in the Office of the NSA, Shuaibu Salisu; a former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda as well as Sagir’s firm, Dalhatu Investment.

    They were re-arraigned before Justice Baba Yusuf on 22 counts involving alleged diversion of N13 billion meant for purchase of arms.

    They were accused of criminal breach of trust, receiving stolen property and misappropriation of funds.

    The trial of Dasuki and others has been on and off in the last two years.

    Giving fresh insight into why the 2015 general election was postponed, the book stated: “It should be stated here that during the critical period of the war on terror, the Western powers deliberately refused to sell the required weapons and armaments to Nigeria to prosecute the war on flimsy excuses of human rights abuses.

    “When they embargoed the supply, the then government had to resort to Eastern Block for required arms and ammunition.

    “Though the arrival of the equipment was late, which necessitated the postponement of the 2015 election, the subsequent operations were successful.”

    In the book, Dasuki recalled how his path had crossed with the President in the military and politics.

    The ex-NSA explained how Buhari was informed about the 1983 Coup d’état which led to the sack of the democratically elected President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari.

    He said he and two young military officers (still alive) “travelled to Jos to brief Maj-Gen. Buhari, who was then the GOC of the 3rd Armoured Division, on the furtherance of the planning of 1983 coup which made Buhari the major beneficiary of the ouster of the elected President Shehu Shagari.”

    Asked why he participated in the coup d’état against Buhari in 1985, less than two years after the coup that brough him in, Dasuki said: “Gen. Buhari should know whom he should blame.”

    But he denied being among the officers that arrested Buhari as a military Head of State in the August 1985 putsch.

    He added: “I always respect and dignify my seniors and those in positions of authority, whether in service or after.

    “Though a young officer, I was reluctant to be among those that arrested him (Buhari). And I was not. I only met him afterwards at Bonny Camp with Lawal Rafindadi.

    “There is no way I could have maltreated him as being alleged in some quarters. I am glad most of the actors are still alive.”

    The detained former NSA dismissed having grudges with Buhari under any guise.

    The book said: “Dasuki narrated how he supported the campaign aspiration of Muhammadu Buhari for presidential elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011.

    “He mentioned the names of individuals who were also privy to his active involvement including respected Northern elements like Adamu Adamu (Minister of Education); Bashir Kurfi; Wada Maida (Buhari’s former Chief Press Secretary), Sule Hamman and Kabir Yusuf, among others.

    “He disclosed how he pleaded with Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu in the presence of Chief Bisi Akande to accept Muhammadu Buhari as the joint presidential candidate of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and former Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011.

    “Dasuki said he knelt down begging ‘Baba Bisi Akande’, who was then the chairman of CAN that, “Gen. Buhari is a man to be trusted.”

    He said he was prematurely retired from the Army because “he and some others confronted a former Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, over the June 12, 1993 presidential election which was won by the late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola (MKO).”

    He said the persecution that followed his retirement forced him into exile where he “teamed up with opposition elements struggling for the return of democracy in Nigeria.”

  • Presidency replies Dasuki, denies Jonathan fought Boko Haram better

    Presidency replies Dasuki, denies Jonathan fought Boko Haram better

    The Presidency has reacted to claims by the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, that the former Goodluck Jonathan administration cleared the Northeast of Boko Haram terrorists to make elections possible in 2015.

    In a press statement issued by Presidential spokesperson, Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, on Monday, the presidency said the claims were untrue and should be dismissed as an attempt to deceive Nigerians.

    The presidency was apparently reacting to Mr. Dasuki, who wrote from detention, the foreword of a book entitled: ‘Boko Haram media war – an encounter with the spymaster’, authored by Yushau Shuaib, a communications consultant.

    In the book, Mr. Dasuki said the quick response accorded the insurgency by the Jonathan administration led to the peace recorded during the 2015 general elections in the north-east.

    However, in the statement issued on Monday, the presidency said Mr. Dasuki was only trying to rewrite history.

    The statement read in part: “As a public relations goon for the former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, the author did not surprise anyone by dismissing the acclaimed successes of the Muhammadu Buhari administration in the fight against Boko Haram, claiming that this government simply took the glory for the achievements of the previous government in the war against terrorism.

    “For those interested in the facts, as at the time elections were held in March 2015, a number of local government areas in Northeast Nigeria were completely under the control of Boko Haram–to the extent that elections in those areas had to be moved to safe areas. The residents of areas such as Gwoza, Banki, Kukawa, Monguno, Bulumba, Baga, Gamboru Ngala, Dikwa, Mafa, etc., were able to vote, not in their hometowns but in refugee camps in other parts of Borno State, under special arrangements made by INEC.’’

    “Since the Buhari administration came into power, however, many of those residents have returned to their homes and Boko Haram eradicated from their areas. In many of these areas, institutions such as schools, police stations, markets and courts have been reestablished or in the process of being reestablished.

    He said Mr Dasuki’s claims would not deter President Muhammadu Buhari from investigating the arms deal for which he was currently being tried for.

    “It is for trespasses like these that the Buhari administration is determined to get to the bottom of the $2.1 billion arms procurement scandal and ensure that no single one of the culprits goes scot free.

    The truth, as a matter of fact is that the monster of terrorism got bigger and more daring due to the incompetence and misgovernance of the last administration and no amount lies and fiction can change that,” the statement said.

  • News Hour 28-06-2017 I TNGtv

  • Dasuki: Absence of judge stalls commencement of trial

    Dasuki: Absence of judge stalls commencement of trial

    The absence of Justice Hussein Baba-Yusuf on Thursday stalled the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Col. Sambo Dasuki in an FCT High Court Maitama.

    Dasuki, NSA to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned on a 22- count charge, bordering on diversion, conspiracy, bribery, abuse of office and criminal breach of trust involving N19.4 billion.

    Others in the trial are Amb. BashirYuguda, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, Dalhatu Investment Ltd, Sagir Attahiru and Attahiru Bafaarawa, former governor of Sokoto State.

    The judge was unavoidably absent from hearing the case adjourned until Thursday.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the court did not sit but the defendants and their counsel were present in court except Dasuki.

    The trial was adjourned until Sept. 27 with the consent of all the counsel in the matter.

    NAN also reports that Dasuki was also arraigned on another 19-count charge bordering on diversion of funds pending in the same court.

    He is being tried alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Aminu Baba-Kusa ,a former NNPC Executive Director.

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

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) preferred the charges against the defendants since 2015.

     

     

    NAN

  • Dasuki: Court grants FG’s application to shield witnesses

    Dasuki: Court grants FG’s application to shield witnesses

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday granted the Federal Government’s application to shield witnesses in the ongoing trial of the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd).

    Dasuki is being prosecuted on a seven-count charge bordering on theft of Federal Government’s sophisticated weapons, illegal possession of firearms and money laundering.

    Ruling on the federal government’s application, Justice Ahmed Mohammed, said the witnesses would be shielded from the press and the general public .

    The judge, however, said that such witnesses would be visible to him, (the judge), the defendant, the prosecution as well as members of the defence teams.

    According to the Judge, the application was in order since Section 232 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 allowed the prosecution to protect its witnesses in cases involving economic and financial crimes.

    “Section 232 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act permits the use of a screen in a charge of economic and financial crimes; and money laundering is part of the charges instituted against the defendant.

    “Therefore, the request is in order, especially when it has not been shown that it will prejudice against the defendant.” Mohammed declared.

    The judge therefore dismissed the objection by Dasuki’s lead counsel, Mr Ahmed Raji (SAN), who had argued that the application constituted an abuse of court process.

    Raji based his argument on the grounds that a similar application filed by the prosecution in the same case had been dismissed by the former trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola.

    The prosecuting counsel, Oladipo Okpeseyi, had on May 11 filed an application praying the court to order that witnesses in the matter be protected.

    The same application has been argued before Justice Ademola but he did not deliver a ruling before the matter was transferred to another court.

    He said the witnesses were security operatives who carried out covert operations with the defendant as their boss and urged the court to allow the witnesses give evidence behind a shield.

    The prosecution stressed that Section 232 (1) of ACJA permitted the witnesses to be so shielded or masked.

    He added that shielding the witnesses would not prevent the defence from cross examining them as they would be visible to the defence.

    The judge then fixed Sept. 20 and 21 for the commencement of trial.

  • Court rejects EFCC’s documents in Dasuki aide’s trial

    The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday rejected an e-payment document tendered by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in the ongoing trial of Col. Nicholas Ashinze, an aide to retired Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    The judge, Justice Gabriel Kolawole, held that the e-payment schedule of N3.12 billion issued from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and N2.5 billion from office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) did not meet the provision of the Evidence Act.

    Ashinze is standing trial with an Austrian, Wolfgang Reinl; Edidiong Idiong and Sagir Mohammed, on a 13-count charge of money laundering.

    The others defendants were Geonel Integrated Services Limited, Unity Continental Nigeria Limited, Helpline Organisation, Vibrant Resources Limited and Sologic Integrated Service Limited.

    At the resumed trial, the prosecution witness, Hassan Seidu, an EFCC investigator, told the court that during their investigation, the EFCC requested for e-payment schedule evidence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

    He said the request was to know how the payment of N3.12 billion on April 11, 2014 and N2.5 billion on Feb. 16, 2015 were transferred to two accounts.

    He further stated that CBN sent the certified true copy of the e-payment slip used for effecting the transfer to Geonel Integrated services Ltd and Unity Continental Nigeria Ltd.

    When the prosecution applied to tender the e-payment schedule as exhibit, the defence, led by Ernest Nwoye, opposed the tendering and admission of the document.

    Nwoye said that “it is a photocopy of what is supposed to be a certified true copy”, and urged court to reject the documents as they were not in full compliance of the law.

    He added that there was no stamp of the certifying authority and there was nothing to show that the document emanate from the CBN.

    Nwoye submitted that the documents contravened Section 104(1) of the Evidence Act.

    In his response, the prosecuting counsel, O.I. Uket, told the court to discountenance the objection of the defence.

    Uket stressed that “where a certificate is issued, there shall be no further question” and relied on Section . 56, 57 and 58 of the Evidence Act.

    He further said that the document was certified before it was presented as evidence and was therefore in total compliance to the law.

    Kolawole after listening to both parties and viewing the documents, held that what the prosecution had produced were photocopies of documents which do not fulfill provision of Section 56, 57 and 58 of the Evidence Act.

    “The payment schedules issued are inadmissible and marked as rejected,’’ he ruled.

    He adjourned the matter until July 5 for continuation of trial.

  • Why Buhari wont release Dasuki, El-Zakzaky, others despite court orders – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has explained why the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government is flouting court orders regarding release of former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki (Rtd) and leader/founder of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria, widely known as Shi’ite, Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky.

    Mohammed said the government flouts court orders in the interest of national security.

    The minister said this while featuring on Osasu show.

    Responding to a question on why Dasuki and El-Zakzaky have continued to remain in detention, Mohammed said the judiciary does not have the entire picture on the cases.

    Mohammed said, “Every government will balance national security with human rights; every country in the world. It is the level of the balancing.

    “As a government, I will balance national security against human rights; and then I will take a decision. Because there is security, there is stability, that the courts also exist.

    “What I am saying (is) that the court has ruled but the court does not have the entire picture when it comes to national security. I am a lawyer too, therefore I have utmost respect for the judiciary”.

    The Minister stressed that Nigerians cannot pick one or two cases and conclude that the Buhari government is a government of impunity.

    “You cant pick two, three cases which bother on national security to condemn a whole government and say this government is a government of impunity.

    “How many cases are determined daily in Nigeria? I still say every government has that right to balance national security”, he said.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that there has been several court rulings ordering the release of both Dasuki and El-Zakzaky from detention.

  • $2.1bn arms probe: EFCC seizes 18 houses, other properties from Dasuki’s associate

    $2.1bn arms probe: EFCC seizes 18 houses, other properties from Dasuki’s associate

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has seized 18 houses in an estate allegedly belonging to Alhaji Aliyu Usman, an associate of the embattled former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.).

    Usman as well as two companies linked to him- Leaderettehe Nigeria Limited and Nordeen Global Resources – were among 300 others listed as persons who allegedly received contracts from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

    The EFCC said Musa allegedly diverted N897m he received from the ONSA fund and allegedly used it to construct the estate.

    The inscription, ‘EFCC, Keep Off!’ was seen on the 18 terrace houses in the estate which is located at Mbora District, Abuja.

    Usman also allegedly used part of the money to buy a three bed-roomed flat at OAU Quarters Wuse 2 Abuja

    The EFCC said, “The EFCC is investigating the involvement of Aliyu Usman, who is linked with Leaderettehe Nigeria Limited and Nordeen Global Resources for their involvement in the monumental fraud that allegedly took place in the Office of the National Security Adviser during the regime of the embattled Col. Sambo Dasuki.

    “The two companies allegedly received about N897m from the arms deal funds from ONSA and diverted part of the money in the construction of an estate with 18 unit blocks of flats at Mbora District Abuja and another for the purchase of a three bed-roomed flat at OAU Quarters Wise II Abuja.”

    A committee set up to probe contracts awarded by the NSA from 2011 to 2015 had last year indicted more than 300 companies and prominent citizens including serving and retired officers of the armed forces.

    Mallam Garba Shehu, a spokesperson for President Muhammadu Buhari, had said in March last year that over N7bn had been recovered so far from the indicted companies and individuals.

    Another N41bn is to be refunded by the indicted companies while further investigation by the EFCC had been ordered to determine whether another N75bn should be recovered from some of the companies for unexecuted or partially executed contracts.

    The statement said the committee further established that one of the indicted companies, Societe D’Equipment International, was overpaid to the tune of €7.9m and $7.09m.

    The committee discovered that there was a total disregard of key provisions of the Public Procurement Act in the award of contracts by ONSA.

    “Several contractors were apparently overpaid, while others were given full upfront payments contrary to their contract terms and agreements in force,” Garba had said.

    Over 30 persons and companies are under prosecution by the EFCC for their alleged role in the scam while a few others have since fled the country.

     

  • [BREAKING] Dasuki’s absence stalls trial, case adjourned

    The absence of retired Col. Sambo Dasuki on Tuesday stalled his trial in a Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama.

    Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan, was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on a 19-count, bordering on diversion of about N13.6 billion.

    He is being tried alongside Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance, Office of the National Security Adviser, and Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former NNPC Executive Director.

    Also being tried are two firms, Acacia Holding Ltd and Reliance Referral Hospital Ltd.

    At the resumed sitting, all the counsel in the matter were present in court as well as all defendants except Dasuki.

    The prosecuting counsel, Mr Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), expressed surprise about the absence of the defendant .

    Dasuki’s counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu (SAN), told the court that he was worried that his client was not in court, and said that he would be interested to know what happened.

    The judge, Justice Husseni Baba- Yusuf, said it would be decent to give categorical information on whether the defendant would be available for trial or not .

    He warned that the precious time of the court would not be wasted in waiting endlessly.

    Mr Michael Adariku, an operative of the EFCC who was billed to testify against Dasuki, could not testify, as Daudu, Dasuki’s counsel, opposed his giving evidence.

    The judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf after listening to counsel agreed with Daudu that all witnesses billed to testify against Dasuki must be listed in the witness list.

    He ordered the prosecution to make a copy of the list available to the court and also serve the defendants.

    Baba-Yusuf adjourned the case until May 17, for the continuation of trial, and urged the prosecution to do the needful to assist the court with the presence of the defendants in court.

    NAN