Sambo Dasuki, former national security
adviser (NSA) whose Abuja residence
was occupied for 24 hours by operatives
of the State Security Service (SSS), says
he does not deserve the treatment being
meted out to him by the APC-led
government.

In an interview with The
Nation, he said his actions as NSA
helped the party’s victory in the 2015
general election. Describing what
transpired during the siege on his house,
the retired colonel said the curren
Sambo Dasuki, former national
security adviser (NSA) whose
Abuja residence was occupied for
24 hours by operatives of the
State Security Service (SSS), says
he does not deserve the
treatment being meted out to him
by the APC-led government.

“I was fair to all as NSA. Even
when I had security cause to act
on some issues, inflammatory
comments and actions against
the government of the day by
those in the opposition, I
exercised restraint. I did not
restrict anyone’s movement, I
never asked security agents to
occupy anybody’s house,” he said.

“I gave my best for this transition,
which led to the victory of the
opposition over the ruling party.
But that is the new change we
have, this is our own definition of
democracy. All I know is that
everything has a beginning and an
end in a democracy.

“The SSS operatives came in two
trucks with a search warrant from
a magistrate court. The warrant
gave them the power to search
for ‘illegal weapons and any
incriminating item.’ You can
imagine what that is supposed to
mean.

“I left office on Tuesday and they
got the warrant on Wednesday
and executed it by 6pm on
Thursday.

“From 6pm on Thursday, throughout the night till
about 6am this morning (Friday),
they were searching my house
looking for incriminating items.

“They restricted my movement. I
cannot go out and no one can
visit me. All those who attempted
to see me were stopped from
doing so.

“In fact, my son was
blocked from entering my
residence. My two cooks, who
used to come from their homes to
prepare my meals, were also
disallowed from leaving my house.

“The only person allowed was the
man who feeds my dogs. And he
only related with the dogs.

“By Friday morning, they packed
away all the nine cars in my
residence. I could not go out to
perform the Eid-el-Fitr prayer
because of the restriction. “Even
when I sought permission to go to
Eid praying ground, they promised
to provide a vehicle but they
never did.

“They went to my father’s house
including breaking into the ceiling
to look for incriminating
documents. They broke a safe in
my father’s house.

“Also, my sister kept a 20-year old box in
my father’s house, they also
forced it open. What has my
father got to do with this?

“And the old man is in hospital in
London. He was shocked to hear
that they broke into his house.
The good thing is that they did
not find anything.

“They brought the photocopy of a
2007 draft by my brother, Ahmed,
and asked me to comment on it.
Was I in office in 2007 as NSA?
You can see the extent to which
they are ready to go to implicate
me.”

He denied involvement in any deal
that could warrant the ordeal,
alleging that some individuals who
deserved being questioned are
“walking freely”.

“There are some who should
account 10 times for some of
these allegations they are raising
but they are walking about freely,”
he said.

“If you want me to make
clarifications on any issue, in the
spirit of democracy and the rule
of law, have the courtesy to invite
me and as a gentleman, I will
honour the invitation. Sending two
trucks to lay siege on my house
and restrict my movement is just
abysmal.

“You do not need to restrict my
movement. You can see that they
are just out to set me up. Even if
they find a knife in my house,
they will say it is incriminating.

“For a man who left office on
Tuesday, where will I run to? I
have nothing to fear.”

Before vacating his residence, the
SSS seized his international
passport and some documents.

“I was fair to all as NSA. Even when I
had security cause to act on some
issues, inflammatory comments and
actions against the government of the
day by those in the opposition, I
exercised restraint. I did not restrict
anyone’s movement, I never asked
security agents to occupy anybody’s
house,” he said.

“I gave my best for this transition, which
led to the victory of the opposition over
the ruling party. But that is the new
change we have, this is our own
definition of democracy. All I know is
that everything has a beginning and an
end in a democracy.

“The SSS operatives came in two trucks
with a search warrant from a magistrate
court. The warrant gave them the power
to search for ‘illegal weapons and any
incriminating item.’ You can imagine
what that is supposed to mean.

“I left office on Tuesday and they got
the warrant on Wednesday and executed
it by 6pm on Thursday.

“From 6pm on Thursday, throughout the night till about 6am this morning (Friday), they were
searching my house looking for
incriminating items.

“They restricted my movement. I cannot
go out and no one can visit me. All
those who attempted to see me were
stopped from doing so.

“In fact, my son was blocked from entering my residence. My two cooks, who used to come from
their homes to prepare my meals, were
also disallowed from leaving my house.

“The only person allowed was the man
who feeds my dogs. And he only related
with the dogs.

“By Friday morning, they packed away all
the nine cars in my residence. I could
not go out to perform the Eid-el-Fitr
prayer because of the restriction.

“Even when I sought permission to go to Eid
praying ground, they promised to provide
a vehicle but they never did.

“They went to my father’s house
including breaking into the ceiling to look
for incriminating documents. They broke
a safe in my father’s house.

“Also, my sister kept a 20-year old box in my
father’s house, they also forced it open.
What has my father got to do with this?

“And the old man is in hospital in
London. He was shocked to hear that
they broke into his house. The good
thing is that they did not find anything.

“They brought the photocopy of a 2007
draft by my brother, Ahmed, and asked
me to comment on it. Was I in office in
2007 as NSA? You can see the extent to
which they are ready to go to implicate
me.”

He denied involvement in any deal that
could warrant the ordeal, alleging that
some individuals who deserved being
questioned are “walking freely”.

“There are some who should account 10
times for some of these allegations they
are raising but they are walking about
freely,” he said.

“If you want me to make clarifications
on any issue, in the spirit of democracy
and the rule of law, have the courtesy to
invite me and as a gentleman, I will
honour the invitation. Sending two trucks
to lay siege on my house and restrict my
movement is just abysmal.

“You do not need to restrict my
movement. You can see that they are
just out to set me up. Even if they find a
knife in my house, they will say it is
incriminating. “For a man who left office
on Tuesday, where will I run to? I have
nothing to fear.”

Before vacating his residence, the SSS
seized his international passport and
some documents.

(The Nation)

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