Operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) on Thursday invaded the Abuja home of the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), to arrest him.
There were speculations last night that Dasuki had been arrested, but this could not be immediately confirmed.
Multiple sources said that the attempt to arrest Dasuki was in connection with the probe of ex-Service Chiefs by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
A highly-placed source said the movement of the ex-Service Chiefs might be restricted to the country, pending the conclusion of preliminary investigations into how military budgets were run in the last five years.
The DSS operatives stormed Dasuki’s Asokoro Quarters compound at about 7.30pm, at the time he was said to be breaking his Ramadan fast.
It was gathered that the former NSA was caught unawares because there was no official invitation by the DSS or any communication as required of his status.
His Sokoto home was also under siege, a source said.
The source told The Nation newspaper that “The ex-NSA was shocked that he was not contacted or invited for interaction on any issue.
“Dasuki is suspecting that there is a motive to make him to spend the Sallah break in detention. I think they have tracked the ex-NSA’s movement, they knew he was billed for Sokoto on Friday (today) for Sallah.
“As I am talking to you, neither the Director-General of the DSS, Lawal Musa Daura, nor any of the operatives in his house has spoken with Dasuki. All they want is for him to surrender.
“But Dasuki remained holed up in his house. He cannot just surrender to gun-wielding operatives who came to his house at dusk.”
A security source said: “I think the siege to Dasuki’s was part of the first step to probe the immediate past Service chiefs.
“Dasuki was central to counter-insurgency battle against Boko Haram and virtually providing leadership for the Service chiefs”.
The Buhari administration is already looking into how the counter-insurgency initiative was funded. Dasuki is expected to assist substantially in the probe, The Nation learnt.
“You know Dasuki had planned to resign immediately there was a change of government but President Muhammadu Buhari refused to accept because he wanted to clear the Augean Stable in the defence sector.
“Buhari’s position is that all the former Service Chiefs must account for every budget for operations in the last five years. He has been disturbed about reports of corrupt practices by some Service Chiefs.”
However, a pro-Democracy Non-governmental organisation -HUman Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) condemned the reported invasion and gestapo operations at the homes of the immediate past National Security Adviser.
HURIWA called on President Muhammadu Buhari to follow due process and constitutional format in seeking to redress any alleged abuse of authority by any top government officials in the immediate past administration.
Follow Us
