DSS re-arrests Dasuki, EFCC seizes Dokpesi in arms deal probe
PDP condemns arrest
ALTHOUGH operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) yesterday ended the nearly one-month old siege to the residence of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), he was re-arrested shortly after.
In what may be a related development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested the former chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, in connection with ongoing investigations into the arms deal trial of Dasuki.
He is the second individual to be arrested by the EFCC in connection with the ongoing trial.
Dokpesi, the EFCC alleged, is to answer questions over N2.1 billion said to have been received from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
But a director of DAAR Communications said Dopkpesi going to EFCC had nothing to do with any arms deal and that he drove himself to the commission.
It would be recalled that former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, was arrested on Monday.
Spokesman to the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, could not be reached for confirmation as at press time as his phone rang out without response.
The number of operatives around Dasuki’s 13 John Kadiya Street residence was obviously reduced and one of the two DSS operational vehicles, two blocks away from the residence, was not seen there yesterday.
The Guardian was told that the security operatives took Dasuki away around 9:00a.m. yesterday.
“No one knew what they discussed with him before he followed them in one of their operational SUVs, but it is apparent they want to question him on some things.
“Remember Dasuki had told Nigerians that he was neither responsible for the release of the funds nor the request for it, but all the funds that were released for the purchase of arms for the military were duly approved and signed by the then President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan.
So, for now, we believe the government would want to insist he put it down in a statement,” a source told The Guardian.
It was also gathered that the arrest of Dasuki may not be unconnected with the information gathered by the security agencies from some of the top government functionaries in the office of the NSA and others that served during the period.
According to a source at the DSS, who also confirmed that Dasuki was in custody, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is working closely with the DSS on the arms deal matter because “it has affected our operations as well.
The service would not arrest Dasuki if there were no issues that need answers.”
Since the beginning of last week, many officials who had served under Dasuki were being quizzed by the EFCC investigators. “It climaxed on Monday when it was confirmed that the former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda, and a former Director of Finance in the Office of the National Security Adviser, Shuaibu Salisu, were among those being questioned by the anti-graft agency.
“Salisu is suspected to have been deeply involved in most of the deals under investigation, he is said to be one of the closest allies of the former NSA and was in the know of the deals. Their statements might have further sealed the lead that compromised Dasuki’s defence,” the source said.
The presidential spokesman earlier last month said the 13-man committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari had submitted an interim report that revealed monumental corruption, massive misappropriation of funds and blatant abuse of office in the guise of military procurements.
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5 Comments
My take in all of this is to formally and procedurally charge them to court, getting all the money they stole and jail them if found guilty. I am really surprised with GEJ’s statement in the US that he was not aware that misappropriation of such magnitude took place under his administration.
They are innocent until proven guilty. But If found guilty they should be adequately punished
The problem here is not whether President Jonathan or the council of state approved the purchase of arms and ammunitions, no! The question and or problem is where are the arms and ammunitions said to have been purchased? Why is that no-one has seen even those military hardware Dasuki said there are letters that they had been delivered? Why were our soldiers sent to the war front without basic military equipment? I wonder how Jonathan is feeling right now with all these revelations!
Amazing revelations,really funny how time so suddenly has revealed top secrets of abuses of offices by the very people that were suppose to ensure our safety and our National security. This is a boomerang.
It is finally beginning to look as if somebody is in–charge. I mean in-charge of the rudderless sinking SHIP variously referred to as the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This early rescue mission may not be an exercise in perfection, but what do you expect? Not with the amount of stinking sewage that have been loaded in the ship for a very long time. Even if God Himself is to take control today, baring miracles, it will still take Him sometime to sanitize our polity and keep our ship of nation sailing once again. Nigerians should today, despite our political differences admit that at least Buhari is starting somewhere. Corruption has been embedded in in collective psyche that any person who has the best of
intentions at giving it a kick is perceived as a nutter, bent on ‘wasting our precious time’
It takes the bravery and courage of a retired army general to step on the toes of the powerful and the untouchables. It reminds us of what Malam Ribadu was doing in the early days of the EFCC before Obasanjo dubious started to use it as an attack dog for his inglorious goals.
In fact as late as last week, some of those we thought were responsible enough to comment logically on national issue wanted Buhari to roll the red carpet for Sambo Dasuki and get a chartered private plane to fly him to United Kingdom for medical treatment. They warned the President that if anything happens to the former NSA, then Nigeria will grind to a halt. They even quickly quipped that Buhari has caused the death of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, wants to jail Saraki because of yet to be explained grievances, wanted to arrest one High chief(whatever this means) called Dokpesi because he did not support his presidential bid, and on and on and on. Nobody was mentioning that Sambo Dasuki was arraigned in a Nigeria court to answer for serious charges that border on criminality. Before the count of two, they have sworn on oath of his innocence. He is a ‘good man’, they hissed. Give him his Human Rights! Others would murmur.
The disclosure now filtering from the four-walls of the DSS interrogation room is becoming mesmerizing. Our good friend Sambo is definitely going to talk at a point. What he would say and what he would fail to say would be tantalizing in equal measures. A whooping sum of $2 billion is enough to build ten ultra-modern hospitals in Abuja for the service of people like him and the rest of long suffering Nigerians. Reliable sources have hinted that this is a tip of the iceberg. 22 other highly placed Nigerians are in the DSS net gradually but surely telling how they have been helping themselves with our collective wealth and most intriguingly, the Boko Haram connection. Now the effusive jigsaw of why the former governor of Sokoto State, Attahiru Bafarawa was following Sambo to all court appearances is fast becoming clearer. Let them keep talking. The have the financial clouts to hire the best legal teams to defend their case. We call
that due process in its totality. If at last they are cleared and acquitted by the court, so be it. When that happens, we can then persuade the President to surrender his Presidential jet to fly these ‘honourable men’ abroad for much need medical attention. That would make Ayodele Fayose, Femi Fani-Kayode and their like very, very, happy indeed.
We will review and take appropriate action.