The stand-off between operatives of the Department of State and the immediate past National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd), continued today, with the former military officials holed up in his palatial home at 13 John Khadiya Street, Asokoro.
The security operatives are insisting on arresting and taking him to their headquarters on the precincts of the Presidential Villa, but Dasuki insists he must be told why they want him there.
He resisted arrest throughout Thursday evening and reportedly called in his military aides later in the night to ward off the DSS men who swooped on his residence in four unmarked Hilux trucks.
Based on the fierce resistance allegedly put up by Dasuki’s security men, the DSS reportedly changed tactics and reinforced its team and sealed off every point through which Dasuki could possibly escape from the well fortified residence sharing the same perimeter fence with Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro.
The effort of the former NSA paid off as the DSS failed to take him away to its office as at 3pm on Friday but effectively cut him off from participating in the Ramadan festivities, which were in high gear at the time of his travails.
A top security official said that many exotic vehicles were taken away from the premises of the former security adviser to unknown destination.
The source also said that some very vital service documents that might help the security agents in probing the ex-NSA were also carted away between Thursday night and Friday morning.
Our correspondent who visited the house on Friday was not allowed access by security men who had effectively barred visitors from entering the house.
A couple who came knocking on the gate was immediately turned back by the DSS, who told them that the house was under security watch, and they left in frustration.
Shortly after that, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Olisa Metuh, came and made move to enter the house but he was asked to turn back by stern-looking DSS operatives.
Metuh was angry, but could not do anything to get inside to see Dasuki, who he described as a ‘personal friend’.
Turning away from the restricted house, Metuh condemned the Buhari government for witch-hunting those who served the PDP administration under ex-president Goodluck Jonathan.
He said it was unfortunate that a high ranking official of that administration like Dasuki could be treated like a common criminal by the new government instead of according him respect by summoning him to appear before the court, if he had any reason to do so.
“It is clear to all meaning persons that this government is after those who served under the PDP government led by Jonathan and we hereby called on the global community to call them to order in the interest of peace,” Metuh said.
A top security official confirmed to Saturday Vanguard that the service was bent on arresting Dasuki and taking him to its office to answer several questions relating to how defence funds running into trillions of Naira was utilised during his three-year tenure.
The source also hinted that many other top military officials who were involved in the spending spree were likely to be invited for interrogation on how the huge funds were expended by them.
