Threat to Life: Court to hear Dasuki’s suit on Friday
Hearing in the suit on threat to life filed against the Federal Government by the former National Security Adviser (NSA) Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd) is to commence on Friday October 13, 2015 at the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In the suit, Dasuki who has been under house arrest in the last one week with operatives of the Department of State Security Service (SSS), mounting guard outside his residence, is seeking enforcement of his fundamental human rights to dignity and security of his life.
For a week now, well-armed security operatives have been permanently stationed by his residence, closely monitoring in-and-out movements and occasionally checking boot of vehicles.
Though the case was filed on Monday, hearing notice indicating that the matter would be heard Friday has been issued to parties in the matter by the court.
Dasuki is asking the court for a mandatory order compelling the Federal Government and its agents especially operatives of the Directorate of the State Security Service (DSS) to vacate his house located at 13, John Kadia Street, Asokoro with immediate effect.
In the suit filed by his counsel Ahmed Adeniyi Raji SAN, Dasuki pleaded with the court to stop the siege laid to his house and to remove all impediments, human and non-human barricade and bulwarks said to have hindered the permission granted him since November 3 to travel abroad for treatment of his ailing medical condition.
In a motion on notice filed pursuant to section 36(5) 37 and 41 of the 1999 constitution and sections 1(1) and (2) and 266 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015, the ex NSA also sought for order of the court extending order of November 3 permitting treatment of his ailment abroad.
The motion on notice was premised on five grounds including the request to enforce the 3 week permission granted him by the court on November 3 to keep a re-rescheduled medical appointment with his physician abroad.
He claimed that the Federal Government acting through the operatives of the SSS and other security agencies have frustrated the said order by barricading his apartment since the permission was granted.
The ex NSA also requested the court to extend the order of Number 3 since it could not be implemented due to the action of the security agents.
Dasuki further asked the court to dispose with his appearance in court for the purpose of this application because of the alleged constant threats to his life from the security agencies.
In a 13 paragraph affidavit in support of the motion, Dasuki claimed that following the order of November 3 permitting him to go abroad for medical attention; he immediately purchased his travel ticket and boarding pass issued to him to accomplish the trip.
He averred that shortly after, the operatives of the SSS acting on behalf of the Federal Government stormed and barricaded his house at Asokoro in brazen defiance of the court order and prevented him from traveling out.
Dasuki asserted that the siege on his house ought to be immediately removed and that as a result of the aggression of the Federal Government, his life has been under constant threat.
It will be recalled that the Federal Government had preferred criminal charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering against Dasuki at the Federal High Court. He denied the charges and was granted bail.
As a result of his successful application, Justice Adeniyi Ademola on November 3 granted him permission to travel abroad to treat his ailment.
The permission was granted following the affidavit evidence filed by the Federal Government that investigations into the alleged possession of firearms and money laundering have been fully completed.
However, the 3 week permission to go abroad for medical attention could not be implemented following the house arrest the SSS placed Dasuki since November 4, 2015.
END.
