Dasuki was born on December 2, 1954, in Wusasa, to the royal family of Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto[1] and is his first son.[2] Dasuki attended Kaduna Capital School for his elementary education and later Government College Kaduna, for his secondary education.[3]
Dasuki worked as Babangida's aide until 1988, when he left the post due to alleged disagreements with the then Chief of Army Staff, General Sani Abacha. He then went to the US where he received further military training.[7]
In 1993, following the rise to power of General Sani Abacha, Dasuki was retired from the army. He was accused of masterminding a coup allegedly led by Lawan Gwadabe. Abacha regime also deposed Dasuki's father as Sultan of Sokoto, replacing him with Muhammadu Maccido.[8]
In early 2015, Dasuki informed the Independent National Electoral Commission "that operations against Boko Haram militants meant the military "will be unable to provide adequate security" for the upcoming 2015 Nigerian general election. The elections, scheduled for 15 February 2015, were then postponed until March 28.[11] Also in April 2015, he insisted that the Nigerian military would ensure that Sambisa Forest, the last fortress of Boko Haram, would be liberated before the May 29 inauguration of President Buhari's new government.[12]
Coincidentally, on the one-year anniversary of the abduction of Chibok school girls, Dasuki insisted that government was concerned about the welfare of every single Nigerian, not only the Chibok girls, as terrorists abducted other innocent Nigerian girls, boys, men, and women, and security agencies were making all efforts to rescue them. The military rescued more than 300 abductees a few weeks afterwards.[13]
Corruption allegations
Detention and release
On 1 December 2015, Dasuki was arrested by Nigeria's State Security Service (SSS) for allegedly stealing $2.1 billion[14] and accused of awarding phantom contracts to buy 12 helicopters, four fighter jets, and ammunition meant for Nigeria's military campaign against Boko Haram Islamist militants.[15] In November 2018, Dasuki was refused bail by the government despite being granted bail by four different high court judges.
The State Security Service released Dasuki from detention on the 24 December 2019.[16] Dasuki's freedom came hours after the SSS released Omoyele Sowore, an activist who was accused and subsequently arrested in August for an alleged conspiracy to commit treason and insulting President Muhammad Buhari over a planned #RevolutionNow protest.[17]
As a result of the Pandora Papers leaks, the Premium Times reported that in 2013, Dasuki had set up a shell company with the help of government contractor, Leno Adesanya. The report found that the sole shareholders were Dasuki's sons with Adesanya not holding any shares and no other form of clear payment to Adesanya. Adesanya's representative claimed that no undisclosed favours were gained by Adesanya and that he was simply helping Dasuki's sons to set up an offshore company.[18][19]
^Lere, Babagoro, & Adebayo. "Unmasking Sambo Dasuki". The Daily Trust of Nigeria. Retrieved 9 July 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Dasuki, Sambo; Ali, Yusuf; Odufowokan, Dare (30 June 2012). "Unmasking Sambo Dasuki". The Nation newspaper. The Nation Newspapers and Publishing Co. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.
Dasuki, Sambo; Ali, Yusuf; Odufowokan, Dare (30 June 2012). "Unmasking Sambo Dasuki". The Nation newspaper. The Nation Newspapers and Publishing Co. Archived from the original on 25 September 2013. Retrieved 21 September 2013.