An Appeal Court in Abuja on Friday set a litmus test for the government of President Muhammadu Buhari, widely seen as having disregard for court orders, when it ordered the Department of State Services, DSS, to produce former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki(rtd) before a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The court gave the order in a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-man panel and read by Justice Peter Ige.
According to the court, the order is to enable Dasuki testify in defence of a former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Olisa Metuh.
The appellate Court ordered the trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, of the Federal High Court, Abuja to immediately sign the subpoena filed by Metuh. He was also directed to indicate the date which DSS must produce Dasuki in court.
Former PDP spokesman, Metuh is currently facing trial before Justice Abang court for allegedly receiving N400m from the funds meant for the procurement of arms deals, which the State claim was diverted from the Office of the NSA under President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
The DSS had at least thrice, in disregard of court orders, refused to produce Dasuki in court. The former NSA has been in detention since November 2015.
He was subsequently charged on 19 counts of fraud, money laundering and criminal breach of trust at Abuja high court.
He pleaded not guilty on all counts.
Mr Dasuki is accused of illegally transferring $50m from the national security budget to fund election campaigns for members of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s party.
The Buhari government alleged that $2bn meant to buy arms to fight Boko Haram was stolen.
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