Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar
\nhas said that the continued detention of former National Security Adviser
\n(NSA), Retired Col. Sambo Dasuki shows that anti-graft war by President
\nMuhammadu Buhari is too selective to destroy the opposition parties.<\/p>\n
In a statement issued on Sunday, Col. Umar noted that it was over one year
\nsince three law courts, including ECOWAS Court granted bail to Dasuki, but
\nthe Federal Government refused to release him, citing \u201cuntenable excuse\u201d
\nof grievous nature of his offence, even when the constitution is clear on
\nthe issue.<\/p>\n
The statement read, \u201cMost fair minded Nigerians are no more impressed and
\nare indeed sceptical with the conduct of this government\u2019s anti-corruption
\nwar which appears to be aimed at the neutralization and destruction of the
\nopposition.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is over one year since three law courts, including ECOWAS Court
\ngranted bail to Col. M.S. Dasuki. The Federal Government has however
\nrefused to release him citing the untenable excuse of the grievous nature
\nof his offence. Our extant constitution is quite clear on this issue.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Federal Government does not have the power to determine which offence
\nis bailable or whether an accused person is deserving of bail. It should
\ntherefore obey courts\u2019 decisions and release Col. Dasuki without any
\nfurther delay. His unlawful detention, campaign of calumny and pretrial
\npublicity make it impossible for him to receive a fair trial.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe only explanation one can find for Col. Dasuki\u2019s lengthy detention
\nwithout trial is that he belongs to the wrong camp. He has also the
\nmisfortune of having served as National Security Adviser to the much
\nvilified Nigerian President of Ijaw extraction.<\/p>\n
\u201cColonel Dasuki\u2019s fate is tied to that of his former principal President
\nGoodluck Jonathan; an honourable and patriotic Nigerian who conceded
\ndefeat and congratulated the winner of the 2015 Presidential election Gen
\nMuhammadu Buhari even before INEC declared the final results, when he
\ncould have held on tenaciously to power as is the norm in many Third World
\nCountries.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis rare act of statesmanship which pulled the country back from the
\nprecipice has been rewarded with utmost disrespect and derision by the APC
\nFederal Government, President Jonathan is the most maligned Nigerian
\nformer Head of State. Col. Dasuki is paying dearly for his loyal service
\nto this patriot. All well-meaning Nigerians must speak out against his
\nunfair and unlawful treatment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe cannot afford to remain neutral in the face of this monumental
\ninjustice. When one Nigerian is unlawfully detained all of us must have
\nthe moral consciousness to feel psychologically incarcerated.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe decision by the Federal Government of Nigeria to suspend the SGF Mr
\nDavid Babachir Lawal and the DG NIA Mr Ayodele Oke while they are being
\ninvestigated is a welcome development in its war against corruption.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is also remarkable and commendable that the Government has decided not
\nto detain the duo while they are being investigated. This is a welcome
\ndeparture from the prevailing anti democratic process by which accused
\npersons, particularly from the opposition camp, are unlawfully detained
\npending the commencement of investigations, or refused bail granted by law
\ncourts.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is national unanimity in support of the war against corruption
\nwhich is expected to be non-discriminatory and waged by a meticulous
\nadherence to the rule of law. For the war to be meaningful and
\nsustainable, it must be elevated beyond a President Buhari personal
\nstruggle to a national one,\u201d Umar stated.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Former Military Governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Abubakar Dangiwa Umar has said that the continued detention of former National Security Adviser (NSA), Retired Col. Sambo Dasuki shows that anti-graft war…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33128,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-57358","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-exclusive"],"yoast_head":"\n