The Federal Government will Tuesday
(today) arraign a former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki
(retd.), on only one- count of illegal possession of firearms before a
Federal High Court in Abuja, for allegedly being in possession of
firearms without license, The PUNCH has learnt.
Our correspondent also confirmed on
Monday that the former NSA, who was scheduled to appear before Justice
Adeniyi Ademola, had last week filed his bail application in
anticipation that the court will hear it immediately after taking his
plea on Tuesday (today).
A reliable source, who had a copy of the
charge in his possession, said its content was exactly the same with the
statement recently released by the Department of State Services to
announce that it had preferred a charge against the former NSA.
Dasuki’s
counsel, Mr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, confirmed to our correspondent on Monday
that the prosecution preferred only one count against the accused
person.
“It’s only one count. It’s a count relating to possession of firearms without license,” Raji said.
The DSS had said in its statement that it
charged Dasuki with possession of firearms without license, an offence
punishable under section 27(I)(a)(I) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of
the Federation of Nigeria 2004, based on the evidence so far obtained.
Findings by our correspondent showed that the Federal Ministry of Justice had since taken over the case.
It was learnt that the trial ought to
have commenced last week but it could not go on because of the directive
of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmmud Mohammed, to various
heads of court not to sit throughout the week to enable lawyers and
interested judges to participate in the just-concluded one week-long
Annual Bar Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association.
The DSS had on July 16, 2015 searched the
ex-NSA’s residences in Asokoro, Abuja and Sokoto, where its operatives
claimed to have recovered seven high calibre rifles, including magazines
and military gears in the houses located at 13, John Khadya Street, and
46, Nelson Mandela Street, both at Asokoro, Abuja; and 3, Sabon Birni
Road, Gwiwa Area, Sokoto, Sokoto State.
The agency also said that it recovered 12
new vehicles, including five bullet-proof cars from Dasuki’s house, the
ownership of which could not be explained by the embattled former NSA,
and which investigators believed must have been purchased with proceeds
of corruption.
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