Former Nigeria's N S A Sambo Dasuki
Department of State Security (DSS) operatives
yesterday invaded the Abuja home of the
immediate past National Security Adviser
(NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to arrest him.
There were speculations last night that Dasuki
had been arrested, but The Nation could not
confirm it.
It was learnt that the attempt to arrest Dasuki
was in connection with the probe of ex-Service
Chiefs by the administration of President
Muhammadu Buhari. The Nation yesterday
reported exclusively that a probe of the former
chiefs was in the smithy.
A highly-placed source said the movement of
the ex-Service Chiefs might be restricted to
the country, pending the conclusion of
preliminary investigations into how military
budgets were run in the last five years.
The DSS operatives stormed Dasuki’s Asokoro
Quarters compound at about 7.30pm. He was
breaking his Ramadan fast.
They could not surmount the security
barricade.
It was gathered that the former NSA was
caught unawares because there was no official
invitation by the DSS or any communication
as required of his status.
His Sokoto home was also under siege, a
source said.
The source said: “The ex-NSA was shocked
that he was not contacted or invited for
interaction on any issue.
“Dasuki is suspecting that there is a motive to
make him to spend the Sallah break in
detention. I think they have tracked the ex-
NSA’s movement, they knew he was billed for
Sokoto on Friday (today) for Sallah .
“As I am talking to you, neither the Director-
General of the DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, nor
any of the operatives in his house has spoken
with Dasuki. All they want is for him to
surrender.
“But Dasuki remained holed up in his house.
He cannot just surrender to gun-wielding
operatives who came to his house at dusk.”
A security source said: “I think the siege to
Dasuki’s was part of the first step to probe
the immediate past Service chiefs.
“Dasuki was central to counter-insurgency
battle against Boko Haram and virtually
providing leadership for the Service chiefs”.
The Buhari administration is already looking
into how the counter-insurgency initiative was
funded. Dasuki is expected to assist
substantially in the probe, The Nation learnt.
“You know Dasuki had planned to resign
immediately there was a change of
government but President Muhammadu Buhari
refused to accept because he wanted to clear
the Augean Stable in the defence sector.
“Buhari’s position is that all the former
Service Chiefs must account for every budget
for operations in the last five years. He has
been disturbed about reports of corrupt
practices by some Service Chiefs.”
The security source confirmed that Dasuki
might be investigated on the following issues:
all sources of funding of the campaign
against Boko Haram;
purchase of arms from Russia and its cost;
training of the members of the Special
Force;
why the seized $15m was hauled in cash
to South Africa to the embarrassment of
the nation;
what informed the recruitment of South
African mercenaries as fighters in Sambisa
Forest, Gwoza and some parts of
Adamawa and Yobe states; and
why Nigeria rejected military assistance
from the US and the UK against Boko
Haram.
As at press time, the fate of the former Service
Chiefs was unknown, but a source said “they
have been placed on close monitoring”.
They are former Chief of Defence Staff Air
Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, ex-Chief of Army
Lt.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah, ex-Chief of Naval
Staff, Vice Admiral Usman, and ex-Chief of Air
Staff, Air Marshal Adesola Amosu.
The security source added: “They are all under
close watch and their movement will be
restricted to the country. In any case, by
military rules, they are already on the Reserve
List. Technically, they are still in service and
can be recalled to answer questions on their
tenure.”
A pro-Democracy Non-governmental
organisation -HUman Rights Writers
Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned
the reported invasion and gestapo operations
at the homes of the immediate past National
Security Adviser.
HURIWA called on President Muhammadu
Buhari to follow due process and
constitutional format in seeking to redress any
alleged abuse of authority by any top
government officials in the immediate past
administration.
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