Dasuki Tells FG: Obey ECOWAS Court Ruling, Or See Investors Shun Nigeria
Col. Sambo Dasuki, Former National Security Adviser (NSA)[/caption]
Detained former National Security Adviser (NSA) Col. Sambo Dasuki, has asked the Federal Government to obey the judgment of the Economic Community of West African States’ Court of Justice ordering his release from detention or risk foreign investors shunning the country.
A member of his legal team, Alhaji Ahmed Raji, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made this known on behalf his client at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.
Dasuki has been in the custody of the federal government since December, 2015, over an alleged charge bordering on illegal arms deals.
Advertisement
However, the embattled former NSA got a reprieve from the regional court on Tuesday which also imposed a fine of N15m on government for illegal and arbitrary detention of the applicant.
Raji said that Nigeria as a respected member of ECOWAS and the International Community is expected to honour its obligations to the protocols establishing the court by complying with its order.
According to him, the ECOWAS Court was not a domestic court, it’s sitting in Nigeria notwithstanding, adding that complying with the order of the court will further boost the confidence of international investors to invest in the country where the rule of law prevails.
The SAN warned that should the federal government turn deaf ears to the regional court verdict, foreign investors would be wary of doing business with the country not to talk of coming down to establish business ventures.
Advertisement
“I am appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari to facilitate immediate compliance with the ECOWAS Court decision. I am also appealing to the Presidential aides especially the Chief Law Officer of the Federation, Mallam Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the heads of the intelligence units to advise the President properly.
“The order of the court cannot be ridiculed and Nigeria, as a democratic nation, cannot afford to ridicule the court order in the interest of the corporate image of the country.”
Besides, Raji also said that the allegation of non-purchase of arms and ammunition against Dasuki had not been substantiated because the records were there that several towns and local governments were liberated from the Boko Harram in the North Eastern part of the country during Dasuki’s tenure.
“In fact, records are there that some of the ammunitions being used by the current government were part of those ordered during the regime of the former NSA according to information he made available to his legal team.
“It is under the leadership of Dasuki as NSA that the country security forces liberated several towns and cities under Boko Haram in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno”, the lawyer said.
