The Federal Government has explained why a former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd) has not been released from detention despite yesterday’s ruling of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, court
Recall that the ECOWAS court had on Tuesday ordered the Federal Government to immediately release Dasuki and that a compensation of N15m be paid to him as well.
The regional court had described Dasuki’s continued detention as unlawful and illegal.
In the judgment delivered by Justice Friday Chijioike Nwoke, the regional court dismissed the allegations of unlawful possession of firearms and economic crimes allegedly committed by Dasuki, adding that the Nigerian government missed the track because the applicant applied before the court for the enforcement of his breached fundamental right.
Justice Nwoke said that even if the applicant had committed a crime, the law still has it that due process must be observed in his trial.
The court said that the action of the Nigerian government in subjecting the former NSA in detention without trial is condemnable, because criminality has not been established against him.
Dasuki has been in detention since 2015 for alleged misappropriation of $2.1bn arms deal meant for the procurement of weapons to aid the military’s fight against insurgency in the North East.
But reacting to the judgement, the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, explained that government needs to study the content of the judgement before complying.
The Minister’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Salihu Isah disclosed the stance of the government on Wednesday.
Premium Times reports Isah as saying: “We cannot just react. We will first of all study the judgement to understand its content before taking a stand.”
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