Why DSS prevented Dasuki from travelling

The Department of State Services has explained that it prevented the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), from travelling abroad for medical treatment because he refused to appear before a committee set up by the Federal Government to investigate a N2billion arms transaction by the Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki

The service stated that Dasuki was invited to shed light on his involvement in the arms procurement processes, but had consistently refused to honour the committee’s invitation.

The DSS, in a statement on Thursday by an official, Tony Opuiyo, accused the former NSA of grandstanding and blackmail.

The agency denied blocking Dasuki’s residence in violation of a subsisting court order granting him a relief to travel oversea for medical services, describing the allegation as “unfounded and malicious aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Service.”

The statement read, “It may be recalled that Dasuki was initially arrested and charged to court for unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering, for which reason his international passport was seized and on the order of the court, returned to the registrar for custody.

“What has however brought the seeming standoff between Dasuki and the Service, despite the court-ordered release of his international passport on November 4, 2015, is his refusal to appear before a Committee undertaking the investigation of an entirely different case.

“The public may wish to note that the government set up the committee to investigate procurement processes relating to a $2billion arms transaction by the last administration, under which Sambo was the NSA.

“It was on this premise that he was invited by the Committee to shed more light on his involvement in the deal. It therefore remains surprising and shocking that Sambo has refused to honour invitations of the committee but instead resorts to grandstanding and subtle blackmail of the Service.

“His refusal to appear before the committee has left the Service with no option than to adopt legal means to ensure his attendance.”

The service accused Dasuki of pulling all strings available to him to evade justice and put it in bad light, stressing that it was not persecuting him.

Why DSS prevented Dasuki from travelling