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Reports have it that the Federal Government will on Tuesday arraign former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), before a Federal High Court in Abuja for allegedly being in possession of firearms without license.
The Department of State Security Service had, in a statement by one of its officials, Tony Opuiyo, on August 24, 2015, said that it had charged Dasuki with the alleged offence.
According to Punch, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, had on Friday assigned the case to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who is the court’s vacation judge.
The DSS said it had charged Dasuki with possession of firearms without licence, an offence punishable under section 27(I)(a)(I) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, based on evidence so far obtained.
Recall that on July 16, 2015, the DSS searched the ex-NSA’s residences in Asokoro, Abuja; and Sokoto, where its operatives claimed to have recovered seven high calibre rifles, including magazines and military gears in the houses located at 13, John Khadya Street, and 46, Nelson Mandela Street, both at Asokoro, Abuja; and 3 Sabon Birni Road, Gwiwa Area, Sokoto, Sokoto State.
The agency also said that it recovered 12 new vehicles, including five bullet-proof cars from Dasuki’s house, the ownership of which could not be explained by the embattled former NSA, and which investigators believed must have been purchased with proceeds of corruption.
The DSS had claimed that it searched Dasuki’s homes “based on credible intelligence linking the immediate past NSA with alleged plans to commit treasonable felony against the Nigerian state.”