From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
THE Federal Government, yesterday, told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd) imported a large cache of highly sophisticated arms and ammunition that have not been accounted for into the country.
The Federal Government also claimed that huge ammunition is feared to be in the possession of persons who are sympathetic to Dasuki.
Meanwhile, the federal government has, again, asked the court to protect its witnesses lined up to testify against Dasuki in criminal charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.
Although the court had rejected a similar application, government, in a fresh motion, yesterday, asked for an order to shield identities of the witnesses.
It also asked that the record of proceedings should not be made public.
Moving the motion, federal government’s counsel, Oladipo Opeseyi applied for an order to permit the witnesses to be addressed with pseudo names in the course of giving evidence.
Government rooted the request on the grounds that Dasuki, as former NSA, also a retired senior military officer and prince of the Sokoto Caliphate, commands large followership in the country who may be aggrieved by his trial.
The government also claimed that most of the witnesses are security personnel and have expressed fears of being identified by the public who may be sympathetic to Dasuki.
Government also said security of its witnesses will be blown if they are made to testify publicly without protection.
In a five paragraph affidavit deposed to by one Emmanuel Ikpebe, in support of the motion, government averred that Dasuki served in the intelligence unit of the Army and that a large quantity of ammunition were found in his house when searched, in addition to various foreign currencies whose sources he could not explain.
The motion, therefore, prayed the court to hold that special circumstances have been constituted to grant the request.
However, counsel to Dasuki, Joseph Daodu, told Justice Adeniyi Ademola that he has just been served with the motion that he needed time to respond.
Justice Ademola subsequently adjourned hearing of the motion till June 23 and 24.