Section
215(3) of the 1999 Constitution states that “the President or such other Minister of the Government of the
Federation as he may authorize in that behalf may give to the Inspector-General
of Police such lawful instructions with respect to the maintenance and securing
of public safety and public order as he may consider necessary, and the
Inspector General of Police shall comply with those or cause them to be
complied with”.
As
at Wednesday 18th November 2015, when President Buhari’s ordered Dasuki’s
arrest, there were two already subsisting Orders of two Judges of the Federal
High Court Abuja on his fundamental rights to movement and personal liberty
which were not complied with by Department of State Security (DSS). Buhari
rained down his declaration calling for Dasuki’s arrest in the heat of
disobedience of DSS to lawful orders. Though Mr President said he acted on the
advice of the committee on procurement of arms and equipment in the armed
forces which sought inter alia to investigate “phantom contracts” for the purchase 12 helicopters, four fighter jets and
munitions worth $2.9 billion.
These
are weighty allegations and the sums staggering. Therefore it is not in the interest of Mr
President or any government agency or public officer to trivialize or
politicize charges against humanity and the economy of Africa’s largest nation,
weakened to corruption. Serious as these
allegations were, why was Dasuki not invited to state his own side, as he
claimed he was not invited?
Under
and by virtue of section 13 of the Federal High Court Act, the prosecutors of
Dasuki could bring applications for consideration by the court for injunctive
and restraining orders against Dasuki from taking benefits from the proceeds of
the contract as alleged. Also Section 28 of EFCC Act empowers the Court, to make
interim orders of forfeiture of Dasuki’s assets in favour of the Federal
Government.
But
with the Federal Government and its agencies taunting the court, if they should
bring such applications for seizure or forfeiture and freezing of Dasuki’s assets as some did
indicate they would, the rules of court and the laws of all civilized nations
enjoin obedience and it is trite law that contemnors must first show respect to the subsisting
Orders of the Court before they seek indulgences of the same court whose orders
they flouted.
With
respect to allegations by DSS that Dasuki will flee the country once they let
him travel for his medics as ordered by the Federal High Court, they have besieged
his home, they should know that all over the World particularly in America,
Europe and Asia, there is no cover for money laundering activities anymore.
There are
international laws and regulations developed to counter money laundering World
over. So they have no real reason to think Dasuki would evade justice, he is a
public figure you know.
http://www.thisdaylive.com/articles/arms-deal-lawyers-fault-buhari-s-arrest-order-on-dasuki/226354/
Carol Ajie,
Constitutional and Human Rights Lawyer .
Saturday 21st
Nov., 2015
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