FG explains why it hasn’t obeyed ECOWAS court order to release ex-NSA

The Federal Government has explained why it has not freed former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki despite an ECOWAS court order directing that he be released.

The FG’s response was given by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami on Wednesday, October 5.

“We cannot just react. We will first of all study the judgment to understand its content before taking a stand,” Malami told Premium Times through his media aide, Salihu Isah.

The ECOWAS court gave the order on Tuesday, October 4, and also instructed the government to pay Dasuki N15 million as damages.

A three-member panel of the ECOWAS court, led by Justice Friday Nwoke, also described Dasuki’s arrest and detention as unlawful and arbitrary.

Dasuki has been accused of fraud by the Nigerian government and is alleged to have supervised the laundering of $2.1 billion meant for the purchase of arms for Nigeria’s fight against Boko Haram.

He was initially arrested by the Department of State Services on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the following day.

Dasuki was subsequently released on bail by an Abuja High Court on December 18, but was rearrested by the DSS after his release from the Kuje Prison in Abujaand has been in custody since then.

President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered the arrest of Dasuki and others indicted in the alleged fraud after receiving a report submitted by a panel instituted by him to probe Nigeria’s arms purchases from 2007-2015.

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Dasuki's homes in Sokoto and Abuja were raided by agents of the DSS and he was subsequently charged with money laundering and illegal possession of weapons.

The former NSA has pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.