Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has regained his freedom after spending more than four years in detention.
Dasuki was released by the Department of State Services (DSS) on Tuesday in Abuja, following the directive of the Federal Government.
The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Mr Abubakar Malami, had ordered the DSS to release the former NSA, as well as the convener of #RevolutionNow protests, Mr Omoyele Sowore.
In a statement personally signed by him, Malami explained that the decision to release the two men was in compliance with the bail granted to them by the court.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and lawyer to the former NSA, Ahmed Raji, confirmed the release of his client.
He thanked the AGF for ordering the DSS to comply with the various court orders granting bail to Dasuki.
Former National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), speaks to his lawyers during an appearance in court in March 2016.
Dasuki was arrested in December 2015 over an allegation of diverting $2.1billion arms funds while serving as the National Security Adviser during the administration
of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
He was arraigned in court and was granted bail with certain conditions, but the Federal Government refused to release him in disobedience to the court order.
On July 14, 2019, the Court of Appeal in Abuja declared the continued detention of the former NSA since December 29, 2015, by the DSS as illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.
The appellate court held that the DSS and its Director-General acted outside their constitutional powers on the long period of the detention of a Nigerian citizen and imposed a fine of N5 million on them to be paid to Dasuki as compensation for breach of his fundamental right.
Four months later and in view of his continued detention, the Court of Appeal varied the terms attached to the bail earlier granted the former NSA.
It expunged the requirement that Dasuki should produce a Level 16 civil servant who must own a property worth N100million within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as surety.
Rather, the court ordered that the former NSA produce two sureties with property worth N100 million within the FCT.
