Former NSA’s lawyer begs Buhari to release him ‘in the name of God’

monjola sotubo

January 1, 2016 12:27 PM

Raji made the plea following Buhari’s statement during the presidential media chat that Dasuki couldn’t be released due to the seriousness of the charges against him.

Nigeria's former National Security Advisor Mohammed Sambo Dasuki listens to a question after his address at Chatham House in London, January 22, 2015. REUTERS/Andrew Winning

The lawyer to former National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki, Alhaji Ahmed Raji (SAN) has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to allow his client go free on bail.

Raji made the plea following Buhari’s statement during the presidential media chat that Dasuki couldn’t be released due to the seriousness of the charges against him.

“I would want to appeal to Mr. President to please allow my client to enjoy the bail that was granted to him,” the lawyer told Daily Sun.

“I want to beg him in the name of God. I cannot join words with the president. I have the greatest respect for him, both in his official and personal capacities.

“My appeal is just that I am begging him in the name of God to allow my client to enjoy his bail,” Raji added.

A similar plea had earlier been made by Dasuki’s wife upon his re-arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS) after being released on bail from the Kuje Prison on Tuesday, December 29, 2015.

“Nigerians should help me beg the Federal Government, the DSS and other agencies to release my husband who did his best to serve this nation. He is ill, he needs medical attention, he is not pretending. I implore the DSS not to allow him to die in custody,” Mrs Dasuki said.

“I saw my husband and I felt dejected. He is not just well. Nigerians should assist him to get a reprieve. We (myself, the children and relations) are all destabilised.

“We don’t know what is happening because three courts have granted him bail. Why are they after him? Let those concerned respect the court by releasing my husband.

“There is no way my husband will run away from the country under any guise. They should please follow the rule of law and uphold his right to bail,” she added.

Dasuki was detained at the prison on December 21, 2015, pending the fulfilment of bail conditions given to him by High Court Justice Peter Affem.

He is being investigated for allegedly supervising the laundering of $2 billion in funds meant for the procurement of arms for Nigeria’s military. He was initially arrested by the DSS on December 1, 2015 and handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) the following day.

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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The former NSA has been in the eye of the storm since being removed by Buhari in July.

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His 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 EFCC has also arrested 20 of Dasuki's former staff and Chairman of Africa Independent Television (AIT), Raymond Dokpesi in connection with the allegations.

Dasuki has pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him.

The EFCC had earlier opposed the former NSA's bail application saying that releasing him would leave him open to attacks from relatives of soldierswho died due to the under-funding of the military.

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Watch video report on Dasuki's looting spree below:

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