DSS Hands Dasuki over to EFCC, Dokpesi Still in Detention, Family Cries Out
The Department of State Services (DSS) has moved the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Sambo Dasuki to the Headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). This is even as the Chairman emeritus of Daar Communications Plc, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi is spending a second night in the custody of the EFCC which, according to family sources, was given very stringent bail conditions. As at press time, the family was making frantic efforts to fulfill the bail conditions and effect his release. Both Dasuki and Dokpesi among others are being investigated for their roles in the disbursement of monies in the run up to the 2015 election and a $2 billion arms deal gone awry.
Dasuki was picked up by the operatives of DSS Tuesday morning after laying siege to his residence for about a month and restricted his movement.
Meanwhile the Federal High Court in Abuja will sit Thursday, December 3, for the hearing of the motion filed by the Federal Government seeking to revoke the bail granted Dasuki.
At the last resumed hearing of the suit, lawyer to the federal government, Mr Mohammed Diri, told the court that a notice of appeal has been lodged at the Court of Appeal challenging the judgment of the court granting bail to the former National Security Adviser.
Sambo Dasuki, who had pleaded not guilty to previous charges of alleged illegal possession of firearms and money-laundering preferred against him by DSS had earlier been granted bail by a Federal High Court to enable him seek medical attention.
A press statement from the Dokpesi family reads: “On Monday November 30, 2015 whilst attending the 70th Birthday celebration of former minister and PDP stalwart, Professor Jerry Gana, the Chairman Emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc recieved a telephone call from the Ag. Chairman of the EFCC Ibrahim Magu inviting him to visit the EFCC Headquarters to provide some clarifications and documentation regarding some transactions involving the Office of the erstwhile NSA during the 2015 Presidential election campaigns.
“On Tuesday December 1, 2015 around 2.00pm, High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi honoured the verbal telephone invitation and voluntarily drove himself to the EFCC Headquarters in the company of his son, Raymond Dokpesi Jnr and a legal representative of the Chambers of Mike Ozekhome, SAN, in the person of Barrister Justin Omogbemeh. It is pertinent to state that contrary to news reports, he wasn’t arrested nor was he even formally invited, as there is no letter of invitation.
“At the commission, he was requested to shed more light on some payments that were made to him through the office of the erstwhile National Security Adviser to the former President – Mallam Sambo Dasuki.
“High Chief Aleogho Dokpesi made his statement on the various media exposures and campaign transactions which were dutifully carried out across most broadcast, print and social media in and outside Nigeria.
“Surprisingly, rather than been allowed to go home, a free man, or at most on administrative bail, in self-recognizance, High Chief Dokpesi was kept by the EFCC operatives, with onerous bail conditions imposed for his released. It is these conditions, that we are now attempting to perfect for his immediate release.