After two and a half years in the custody of the Department of State Service, DSS, the Federal High Court Abuja on Monday granted bail to former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd).
Delivering judgment in the suit filed by the ex-NSA in March, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu held that his detention since December 29, 2015, amounted to a violation of his right to liberty.
However, the judge rejected the ex-NSA’s prayer for N5bn damages for unlawful detention.
Dasuki was granted bail in the sum of N200m with two sureties, who must either be a civil servant of a minimum of Grade Level 16 in the Federal Civil Service or private citizens who have landed properties in Abuja.
Justice Ojukwu was not impressed by the Federal Government’s argument that Dasuki was being kept in custody on the grounds of his alleged threat to national security and his alleged ongoing investigation for money laundering.
The judge was of the view that these did not warrant “abrogating his right”.
She further ordered that should there be any further reason to interrogate him, the DSS could only invite and interview him between the hours of 9am and 6pm on working days.
Recall that the Federal Government had refused to obey previous court judgements, ordering Dasuki’s release.
This latest judgment comes barely a year and nine months after the Economic Community of West African States Court of Justice ordered his release from “illegal custody”.
The DSS refused to obey the order.
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