#Seized $5.7m, Another Bollocks By Col Sambo Dasuki Is Enough For Him To Resign! - By Frank Uche Dibia

For the second time in less than two months, the South Africa authorities have reportedly seized monies amounting to well over $15m meant for the purchase of arms for the Nigeria military, all under the watchful eyes of Sambo Dasuki, a retired Colonel of the Nigerian Army and the current  National Security Adviser to President Goodluck Jonathan.

When the news broke a few weeks ago about a $9.3m illegal arm deal bungled over by the military sources, all hopes was that, it was a diplomatic matter and will soon be sorted out by the two governments concerned. To the greatest surprise of both the Nigerian public and the global community, the monies were found to be proceeds of illegal deal/crime and therefore was seized by the South African authorities.

Just when you thought that the Nigerian governments and her agents (NSA) have learnt their lessons, they bungled it yet again.  On this occasion according to reports, ''the Asset Forfeiture Unit of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) in South Africa has seized $5.7 million for yet another arms deal between South Africa and Nigeria'', a Johannesburg-based newspaper reported. This is the second multimillion-dollar arms deal between the two countries in the past month that has resulted in the money being frozen in South African banks.

The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), in a statement yesterday trying to justify the large movement of cash across borders for the purchase of arms, said the transactions were legitimate. The money was seized in both cases for allegedly being the proceeds of illegal transactions.

The question now is; why did Col Sambo Dasuki in the first place chose to be using shady companies rather than well known internationally registered arm dealing companies?  Secondly is Sambo Dasuki another of those said to have been planted in Aso Rock to pull-down GEJ?

These questions needs nothing but urgent answers, because for Col Sambo Dasuki an experience retired army office of his level with such military credentials to have supervised this kind of bungled/botched arm deal the second time in a row, something must be fishing somewhere.

Col Sambo Dasuki was former Aide-de-camp (ADC) to Nigeria's former military head of state, General IBB.  Dasuki was also a former Managing Director of Nigeria Security Printing & Minting Company Limited(NSPMC). He resigned in protest from the NSPMC following its controversial privatisation by former President OBJ. Sambo Dasuki is the son of Alhaji Ibrahim Dasuki, who was deposed as Sultan of Sokoto by late military dictator, General Sani Abacha. His uncle,  Alhaji Muhammadu Sa'ad Abukakar 111, is the incumbent Sultan of Sokoto and head of the Nigerian Muslim community.  In addition to the above, Sambo Dasuki had military training in many institutions in Nigeria and overseas including: NDA, US Army Field Artillery School, Fort Sill, Oklahoma; US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

He also attended American University, Washington DC where he bagged a BA (Hons) in international Relations and George Washington University, Washington DC where he obtained an MA in Security Policy Studies.  All these credentials of the man Sambo Dasuki could well explain if he has a mission to accomplish in Aso Rock.

The earlier President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan comes to terms with what is happening within his kitchen cabinet, the better for him and his administration. Nigeria is too dear to us all to be letting off such diplomatic  gaffs this often. If Col Sambo Dasuki does not know what it takes to be a National Security Adviser, he should be replaced with immediate effect, after all, he was never at the top hierarchy of his career during his days in the army and may well don't have the privy to such enormous office/responsibility. A word is enough for the ............I rest my case!

Frank Uche Dibia