Dasuki denies roping in Dokpesi, others; case adjourned till Dec. 8

The embattled former NSA Sambo Dasuki has debunked media reports that he implicated Daar Communications owner Raymond Dokpesi, Sokoto’s former Gov. Attahiru Bafarawa, and others in the $2.2 billion arms deal probe undertaken by the federal government.

“They are just out to scandalise the man, bring his image and character into disrepute so that his friends and well wishers can run away from him. They want him deserted and that will fail,” said Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, who spoke on behalf of his client through PRNigeria, an online press release platform.

Raji claimed he was with Dasuki yesterday at the EFCC detention in Abuja, and the former NSA never made a categorical statement that indicted anybody or a group of people.

Dasuki was hurled out of house arrest recently, and was handed over to the anti-graft agency yesterday for investigation.

Earlier, the federal government had charged Dasuki with money laundering, unlawful possession of arms, and acts capable of undermining national security.

The case came up December 3 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, where the federal government newly appointed lawyer, Oladipupo Okpeseyitan,  told the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, he had filed a motion for stay of execution of the ruling of the court granting Dasuki permission to seek medical treatment overseas.

He prayed the court to put the ruling on hold until the outcome of the appeal on the matter.

The case was then adjourned till December 8.

The former NSA had sought and got court permission to travel abroad for medical treatment while the Department of State Security was prosecuting him.

The DSS, however, rearrested him on the ground that he had a fresh round of investigation to face over the arms deal allegation.