The Northern Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) has raised alarm that a “cabal” was misleading President Muhammadu Buhari in the trial of retired Colonel Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA).
The group stated this on Sunday in reaction to comments by the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, that the Federal Government was not ready to release Dasuki after perfecting the 6th bail granted him by the Federal High Court.
Malami made the declaration in an interview with the Voice of America (VOA).
He said “Obeying the court is not the issue per say. Are we going to take the issue of an individual more important than that of the people?
“The essence of governance is to better the lives of its people. So you have to weigh it based on that; the rights of an individual or the rights of the people.”
In a statement by the president of NYCN, Comrade Isah Abubakar, the group said it was unfortunate that President Buhari was rubbishing judiciary and has refused to respect six bails because of advice of the “cabal”.
The statement read: “We are alarmed at the statement credited to the Justice Minister and to say that it is not only disgusting, myopic and insensitive but portrays the Attorney General as incapable of discharging his duties as the adviser to both the President and the nation.
“Is it not unbecoming of a person labelled as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and a Northerner to engage in activities seen to be against the rule of law as courts of competent jurisdiction have granted Dasuki bail 6 times?
“We dare say that President Buhari is being misled by northern cabals against other northerners, like in the case Sambo Dasuki.
“We agree with one of the loudest voices against this tyrannical tendency, a former Aide de Camp (ADC) to General Muhammadu Buhari when he was Governor of Gongola and Military Head of State, Al-Mustapha Haruna Jokolo.
“In a recent interview, Jokolo stated in a recent interview that Northern Cabals are misleading President Buhari from releasing Sambo Dasuki even after the fact that Dasuki facilitated the 1983 coup that brought Buhari to power and supported his political aspirations before the Sokoto Prince was appointed by Jonathan’s government to serve as the NSA.
“Jokolo further suggested what’s happening was probably pre-planned. We are happy about Jokolo’s consternation as a Northerner as well as his denunciation of the Northern elites for abandoning one of their sons.
“Dasuki may not have been perfect but during his tenure as the National Security Adviser in the immediate past administration, he reinvigorated and facilitated the expansion of troops of Multi-national Joint Taskforce (MNJTF) with neighbouring Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger towards combating the dreaded Boko Haram insurgency.
“Dasuki also facilitated a collaboration with foreign technical advisers towards ensuring the recovery of several major towns in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states from Boko Haram terrorists. Some of the liberated towns included: Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama, Bara, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Dikwa, Gamboru-Ngala, Goniri, Gujba, Gulag, Gulani, Gwoza, Hong, Kala Balge, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte, Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, Vimtim among others.
“It is pertinent to note that virtually all electorates in the above-mentioned areas voted for President Buhari in 2015. The breakdown of results from these areas confirmed that the indigenes voted for him in that election. Sadly, the current government seems to have forgotten.
“They said Dasuki did nothing with all the monies he received as NSA but the authorities are yet to counter his declaration on the arms, weapons, jets and other military hardware he put out in public domain that were bought by Jonathan administration. The equipments are still being used by the Nigerian military today. The truth is that Nigeria is in trouble and clear attestation to this are instances whereby the current administration is selecting orders to obey even in an arrogant manner.
“While we won’t join persons and groups who have been comparing death figures under different regimes since 1999, as the right to life is sacrosanct, a presidential spokesman did this recently. He gave the infamous ‘death checklist’ under previous governments when they have been regular cases of death in North-East from terrorists and Zamfara, Sokoto and Kaduna from armed bandits apart from the killing from the menace of herdsmen-farmers clashes.
“NYCN wish to commend prominent groups and individuals that have come out to criticize this assault on democracy, the monumental embarrassment of the judiciary and travesty of justice. No right-thinking person should act unbothered about this situation because such may be replicated to the extent that government will start rubbishing any judgement that does not go its way.
“Finally, we must state that the statement by Justice Minister that the government has a right to detain a citizen against court order is not only disgusting, myopic and insensitive but portrays the Abubakar Malami as incapable of discharging his duties as the adviser to both Mr. President and the nation.
“President Buhari should be careful of any legal advice that is illegal and unconstitutional and drop this vengeance and obey constitutionalism.”
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