Government
comes and government goes. Politician comes and politician goes. But public
institutions remain with us. It is the more reason why we must strive to
strengthen them and make them stronger than any individual. Painfully, rather
for us to strengthen our institutions and make them strong, we build men. We
build men that become stronger than our institutions and abuse them whenever
they want to protect their interests and that of their loved ones. Corruption and weak institutions are parts of the
challenges facing our nation today and are responsible for many of other
challenges. No nation can strive where this duo exists. If Sambo Dasuki was not stronger than the Department
of State Security Service (DSS), he would not have been able to resist its
operatives for hours.
Who Is Sambo Dasuki
Sambo Mohammed Dasuki, is from a royal family in Sokoto.
He is the son of the former Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Ahmed Dasuki, who was
deposed by the military regime of the late Gen. Sani Abacha. Sambo Dasuki
as he is popularly called is a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army and the
former National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President of Nigeria. He was
appointed NSA by the Former President of Nigeria, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan
on June 22, 2012, following the removal of General Owoye Andrew Azazi and was
sacked by President Muhammadu Buhari on July 13, 2015.
Sambo
Dasuki (then a Major) and military assistant to General Mohammed Inuwa Wushishi
participated in the military coup d'état that installed Major General Muhammadu
Buhari as Nigeria's Head of State.
Sambo
Dasuki was also among the four (4) majors (Abubakar Dangiwa Umar, Lawan
Gwadabe, and Abdulmumini Aminu) who arrested the Nigerian Head of
State, Major General Muhammadu Buhari in the 1985 palace coup led by Major
General Ibrahim Babangida. Following the successful execution of the coup, He
was made Aide-de-camp (ADC) to General Ibrahim Babangida.
Sambo Dasuki Standoff With The DSS
A fierce standoff occurred on the evening of Thursday through
the early hours of Friday (16th & 17th July, 2015),
between the operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) and Col.
Sambo Dasuki (Rtd,), with the former NSA holed up in his home at 13, John
Khadiya Street, Asokoro, Abuja.
The operatives of the DSS were supposed to conduct a simple
search operation on three (3) of his properties. Two on; 13, John Khadya
Street, and 46, Nelson Mandela Street, both at Asokoro, Abuja, and the third
one on, 3, Sabon Birni Road, Gwiwa Area, Sokoto, Sokoto State. The search
operations were planned to be simultaneously conducted, but he was reportedly
to have refused the men of the DSS entry into his main residence located at 13,
John Khadya Street, Asokoro, despite being presented with a genuine, legitimate
and duly signed search warrant from a Magistrate Court.
There was no reason why he should have turned that down a
search warrant! That was lawlessness. There was a court order but Dasuki
disregarded it. It is a contempt court and should be treated as such
accordingly.
Instead
of him to honorably honor the search warrant and allow the operatives to do
their job, he resisted them throughout Thursday evening using his military aides.
Had the operatives of the DSS not shown professionalism in handling the
impunity displayed by Dasuki and his men, it would have resulted in a bloody
clash between the DSS and Dasuki`s military aides. And by now, the story would
have been different.
If
Dasuki could forcefully resist a search warrant, I wonder what he could have
done if it was an arrest warrant?
Now
goes the question; why was Dasuki still having military aides, not one, not
two, but more, after he has been sacked? The last time I checked, he was no
longer holding any public office that makes him deserve military aides. Logically, those aides should have been
withdrawn the minute he was sacked. But you see, sometimes in Nigeria, logic
seems scarce. That was why I was not surprised when I read he was with military
aides. Like I won`t be surprised if I hear that a former Local Government
Chairman has a military guard.
Items Seized From Dasuki`s
Properties Search
Consequently, due to the lawlessness displayed by the former
NSA and his military aides, a search that was scheduled to last for just about
two (2) hours, lasted for more than ten (10) hours. From about 16:50 hours 16th
July, 2015 they arrived at his premises in 13, John Khadiya Street, Asokoro,
Abuja till the early hours of 17th July, 2015.
As a result of the search; the following items were seized
according to the DSS: “Seven (7) high caliber rifles, (high assault
weapons), several magazines and military related gears. The team also recovered
twelve (12) new vehicles, out of which five (5) were bullet proofs. These
vehicles which are all exotic vehicles were retrieved from SAMBO’s residence
having failed to produce evidence of ownership”.
Is Sambo Dasuki Witch-Hunted?
The answer is No!
Some argue that Dasuki was sacked on Monday, by Wednesday a
search warrant was already secured to search his house for illegal weapons and
incriminating items and by Thursday his house was already besieged. Hence, he
was just being witch-hunted. But I ask; witch-hunted for what? The DSS could
not have risked wasting time on carry out such a sensitive operation knowing
the magnitude of the intelligent report gathered. As there are said to be
‘credible intelligence’ linking him with “alleged plans to commit treasonable
felony against the Nigerian state”. If
there was nothing he was hiding he would have honorably honored the search
warrant and allowed the DSS to do their job.
The refusal for Dasuki to immediately honor the search
warrant confirms the intelligent report alleged against him to have some
element of credibility.
So Why Was Sambo Dasuki
not Arrested?
I know if Dasuki was an ordinary Nigerian and he resisted a
search warrant, the story would have been different. He would have been arrested and detained for obstructing a legitimate
process approved by a Magistrate court.
Meanwhile, Dasuki didn`t just resist a search warrant, he
intentionally delayed, obstructed the DSS operatives in the course of
performing their duties. Hence flouted the law and should have been arrested for
that.
Secondly, Dasuki should have been arrested for harboring “Seven (7) high caliber rifles, (high assault
weapons). What on earth does he need that for?
Additionally, he should have been arrested for initiating a
standoff between his military guards and the operatives of the DSS.
The rule of law must prevail and no one should be seen to be
greater or more powerful than the laws. Whatsoever, the law cannot tolerate
from an ordinary Nigerian; it must not tolerate from any other class no matter
his or her status.
This is why
the continuous call to strengthen our institutions cannot be overemphasized; we
must start by building values, structures, and processes. With these three
elements in place, no individual will be placed above the law, government will
function optimally, and accountability will be made easy.
God
Bless Nigeria
Ogundana
Michael Rotimi is a Nigerian Biochemist, Socio-economic & Political
Commentator and Public Speaker. He tweets @MickeySunny.
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