DSS invasion of my house unlawful – Ex-Sultan

 

The father of the embattled former National Security Adviser, former Sultan Ibrahim Dasuki, has expressed shock at the invasion of his Sokoto home by operatives of the Department of State Services, saying the invasion was unlawful.

The senior Dasuki, who was the 18th Sultan of Sokoto until he was deposed by the military regime of the late General Sani Abacha, said this in an interview he granted the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, on Monday.

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The ex-monarch said that at 94 years of age, he was surprised that his residence could be invaded by security officials without being given the courtesy of being informed.

He explained that he had never been found wanting in all the places he had worked throughout his days as a youth.

Dasuki said, “I don’t know what they were looking for in my house. Even, I have not spoken with a member of my staff who they opened the house with. They entered into the ceiling of rooms belonging to women and no one said they found anything.

“They entered my portion of the house, there were two safes, they said they found an old Certificate of Occupancy of a house and that in one (of the safes), they found an empty envelop, that is what they said.”

Responding to a question over a container found within the compound, Dasuki said, “The container is on one side in the compound. Aliyu Dasuki (deceased) is my son, I am a younger brother to his father, and his wife is my daughter. When he died, his wife’s belongings mainly old furniture and mattresses are the things inside the container.

“They opened it. Like I told you before, even the member of my staff who was there, I have not been able to speak with him to know what exactly happened.

“All I have heard is hearsay and if he told me what happened, in the end, like I did before, I will leave everything to Allah.”

He also wondered why the security officials chose to invade his home in Sokoto when his son’s house is in Abuja.

“They did not go to Sambo Dasuki’s house, they went to my house. All my children have a right to my house. Sambo Dasuki is almost 60 years old, he is a man of his own. Can you hold a father responsible for the actions of his son?” he queried.

The senior Dasuki also explained that he was not averse to authorities questioning his son for his actions or inactions while in office.

He said, “He (Sambo) worked; they should ask him.”

The former sultan argued that even the constitution and the nation’s relevant laws stipulate that he should be informed before security officials entered his house.

It will be recalled that the DSS had in a statement on Sunday, explained that it carried out the search on the homes of the Dasukis following credible intelligence report that the former NSA was plotting to commit treasonable felony against the Nigerian state.

Spokesman for the security agency, Mr. Tony Opuiyo said the DSS had planned simultaneous searches on its two targets, but that the former NSA denied its officers entry into his main residence despite being presented with a genuine and duly signed search warrant.

The former NSA, he said, used the military guards at his home to prevent the DSS operatives from performing their legitimate duty, creating a potentially dangerous situation.

Meanwhile, some northern traditional and retired generals have intervened in the case involving the DSS and the former NSA.

Investigations on Monday showed that some traditional rulers from the North-West had prevailed on the former NSA not to drag the Federal Government to court over the invasion of his house in Abuja.

There were reports on Saturday that Dasuki would file a suit against the DSS on Tuesday (today) because of the invasion of his house.

The DSS had on Friday surrounded the ex-NSA’s house in Abuja and that of his father in Sokoto.

Dasuki was forced to stay indoors for about 24 hours and the DSS operatives were said to have seized his international passport.

The security agency had in a statement on Saturday night accused Dasuki of felony, misuse of power and being in possession of destructive weapons.