Abubakar Malami, attorney-general
of the federation (AGF), says the federal government cannot release Sambo
Dasuki, former national security adviser (NSA), because the allegation against
him is a matter of public interest.
The attorney-general said this in
a Voice of America, Hausa, interview obtained by Premium Times.
Malami said Dasuki’s right is not
important more than over 100,000 people he was “instrumental to their death”.
He said the mismanagement of
funds meant for the military under the former NSA led to the deaths of many.
Malami maintained that the issue
affects an entire nation; so the discussion should not be about a single
person’s rights.
On Tuesday, the federal high
court in Abuja served a warrant of release of Dasuki on the director-general of
the Department of State Services (DSS) and the attorney-general of the
federation and minister of justice.
Malami said the government could
resort to appealing the court order if it wants to.
“What I want you to know is that
issues concerning law and order under Muhammadu Buhari are sacrosanct and
obeying court order is compulsory,” he said.
“However you should also know
that there is a general consensus world over that where the dispute is only
between individuals, then you can consider the issue based on the instant
situation. But if the dispute is about an issue that affects an entire nation,
then you have to remember that government is about the people not for only an individual.
“So, you have to look at it from
this perspective. If the issue about an individual coincides with that which
affects the people of a nation and you are now saying the government did not
obey a court order that infringes on a single person’s rights. Remember we are
talking about a person who was instrumental to the deaths of over 100,000
people. Are you saying that the right of one person is more important than that
of 100,000 who lost their lives?
“Reports have shown that there
was massive mismanagement of funds meant for military hardware which the
military could not access and that led to the death of many, embezzlement of
the fund and because of that many people have lost their lives. Obeying the
court is not the issue per say.
“Are we going to take the issue
of an individual more important than that of the people? The government’s main
responsibility is for and about the people. The essence of governance is to
better the lives of its people. So you have to weigh it based on that; the rights
of an individual or the rights of the people.”
DSS operatives arrested Dasuki in
2015 for “illegal possession of firearms” and diversion $2.1 billion from his
office while he held sway as the NSA.
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