Following the refusal of the federal government to allow former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to travel out of the country to seek medical treatment, his camp has stated that authorities have nothing to worry about.
Responding to a DAILY POST enquiry on the continued siege by operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS), an aide of Dasuki said the ex-military officer would not dare to elope if allowed to travel.
“While we understand the suspicion of the government, it must be said that the man involved knows what it means to run away,” he said on Monday.
“Mr. Dasuki will not dare to escape because he knows the consequence of being a fugitive.”
“In any case, the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, enjoys goodwill from world leaders and can always request extradition if the need for such arises.
“It is a fact that the government has the power and right to request a country to apprehend and send back any of its citizen, especially those with pending cases, so it is extremely difficult for any one to abscond.
“All we are saying is that there must be fairness. The Federal High Court has given a ruling allowing Mr. Dasuki to travel. This must be obeyed, unless the international community would see this government as authoritarian.”
Dasuki’s camp also reacted to the allegation by the Director General, National Taskforce to Combat Illegal Importation of Small Arms, Ammunition, and Light Weapons, NATFORCE, Dr. Emmanuel Osita Okereke, that Dasuki wanted him dead.
“Mr. Dasuki cannot directly respond at this time, but I will say two things.
“One, Okereke is a fugitive. He is wanted by the EFCC for jumping bail in his ongoing prosecution by the EFCC on a six-count charge of impersonation, forgery and obtaining by false pretense.
“Okereke allegedly forged a document of the federal government titled: Restricted, Federal Government of Nigeria, National Task Force.
“He is also being accused of having held false titles such as as director general and director, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of National Task Force, through which along with Ishmeal Chinyere Nwogu, he fraudulently obtained money from sale of employment forms.”
“The fact is that there is no law backing NATFORCE and I urge you to consult the National Assembly to confirm this.
“The man called Okereke is a fraud, who is using the name of a body he set-up to extort individuals and groups, claiming he is working for the government; hiring people and pretending to be doing a government job.
“He is calling himself a Director-General which he is not entitled to, because NATFORCE was not established by any Nigerian President. It is not known to Nigerian laws, neither is it under any Ministry or public institution.
“On the issue of arms, the agency backed by the federal government of Nigeria is the Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons, led by Ambassador Emmanuel Imohe.
“Former President, Goodluck Jonathan set it up in April 2013 to work with the policy guidelines of similar bodies like ECOWAS Convention on Small Arms and Light Weapons, the AU Bamako Declaration and the UN Programme for Action on Small Arms and Light Weapons.
“Let Okereke keep deceiving himself, the government of the day will soon ban him from bearing his self-imposed D-G.
“Two, Okereke’s claim that Mr. Dasuki has been noted. He should be ready for a libel suit.”
“When we get to court, the world will hear who the ‘D-G of NATFORCE’ really is.”
