Colonel Umar, who made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, said the continued detention of the former NSA, despite three courts ordering that he should be released on bail, puts a huge question mark on the fidelity of the Federal Government's anti-corruption war.
Former military governor of Kaduna State, Colonel Dangiwa Umar (retd.), has called on the Federal Government to immediately release Colonel Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA), saying his continued detention without trial is undemocratic.
Colonel Umar, who made the call in a statement issued on Sunday, said the continued detention of the former NSA, despite three courts ordering that he should be released on bail, puts a huge question mark on the fidelity of the Federal Government's anti-corruption war.
He noted that it is over a year since the three courts, including ECOWAS Court, granted bail to Colonel Dasuki.
"The Federal Government has, however, refused to release him, citing the untenable excuse of the grievous nature of his offense. Our extant constitution is quite clear on this issue. The Federal Government does not have the power to determine which offense is bailable or whether an accused person is deserving of bail. It should therefore obey courts’ decisions and release Colonel Dasuki without any further delay," said the former military governor.
Colonel Umar argued that the former NSA's detention and the pre-trial publicity his case has received will make it impossible for him to receive a fair trial. He contended that the only explanation for Colonel Dasuki’s protracted detention without trial is that he is an opposition figure, who is being witch-hunted for serving under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
"He has also the misfortune of having served as National Security Adviser to the much vilified Nigerian President of Ijaw extraction. Colonel Dasuki’s fate is tied to that of his former principal President Goodluck Jonathan, an honorable and patriotic Nigerian, who conceded defeat and congratulated the winner of the 2015 presidential election, General Muhammadu Buhari, even before INEC declared the final results, when he could have held on tenaciously to power as is the norm in many Third World countries," said the former military governor.
He argued that Mr. Jonathan's decision to concede defeat has been rewarded with disrespect and derision by the Federal Government.
"President Jonathan is the most maligned Nigerian former Head of State. Colonel Dasuki is paying dearly for his loyal service to this patriot. All well-meaning Nigerians must speak out against his unfair and unlawful treatment. We cannot afford to remain neutral in the face of this monumental injustice. When one Nigerian is unlawfully detained all of us must have the moral consciousness to feel psychologically incarcerated," Colonel Umar added.
The former governor, however, commended the decision by the Federal Government to suspend Mr. David Babachir Lawal as Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Mr. Ayodele Oke as Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) while they are being investigated. Colonel Umar also described, as commendable, the government's decision not to detain the two high-ranking officials during investigation.
"This is a welcome departure from the prevailing anti-democratic process by which accused persons, particularly from the opposition camp, are unlawfully detained pending the commencement of investigations or refused bail granted by law courts," said Colonel Umar.
He added that Nigerians are overwhelmingly in support of the war against corruption, but expect it to be fairly prosecuted in adherence to the rule of law.
"For the war to be meaningful and sustainable, it must be elevated beyond a President Buhari personal struggle to a national one. Most fair-minded Nigerians are no more impressed and are indeed skeptical with the conduct of this government’s anti corruption war which appears to be aimed at the neutralization and destruction of the opposition," stated Colonel Umar.
