Held in connection with the $2.1bn arms scandal in which money voted to buy military equipment was diverted to private pockets, Col Dasuki is regarded as the paymaster of the plot. He has, however, denied any wrongdoing, saying he only followed instruction given to him by former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan.
In his new lawsuit, Col Dasuki is praying the court to order his immediate release from detention either conditionally or un-conditionally. Col Dasuki, who claimed that his fundamental right to freedom of liberty and dignity to life had been grossly violated by the federal government with his detention, prayed for an order of the court to compel the federal government to pay him N15bn as general damages and compensation for his alleged illegal detention in violation of his rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
He also prayed the court to compel defendants in the suit to jointly and severally tender a public apology to him to be published in two national dailies for the violation of his rights.
Defendants in the court action are the Department of State Security Service, the National Security Adviser, the Attorney General of the Federation and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Col Dasuki asked the court to declare that he was entitled to his rights to dignity of human person, personal liberty, fair hearing, freedom of movement, private and family life and to acquire and own properties as enshrined in the 1999 constitution.
He also wants the court to declare that his arrest and continuous detention since December 29, 2015 by officers of the federal government without allowing him access to his medical personnel, members of his family and without charging him to court within the time prescribed by law is wrongful, unlawful, un-constitutional and a violation of his right granted by the country’s constitution. In a 43-paragraph affidavit in support of the originating summon, the applicant claimed to be a retired army officer, decent with no criminal record, lawfully resident in Nigeria and had served the country in various capacities.
He averred that on July 16, 2015, the agents of the federal government unlawfully invaded his houses in Abuja and Sokoto and that during the invasion, his properties mainly cars and monies were unlawfully carted away. In the affidavit deposed to by one of his sons, Abubakar Dasuki, the applicant claimed that in protest against the unlawful invasion and detention, he instituted a court action at a federal high court for the enforcement of his right.
Col Dasuki averred that he applied for court permission to travel abroad for medical attention and that he was granted approval on November 3, 2015 but the following day, the security operatives in brazen defiance of the court permission, laid siege on his house and disallowed the trip. He claimed that in spite of his life threatening ailment and persuasions, his house was kept under siege during which he was not allowed to move out or receive any member of his family and visitors.
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