There seem to be more troubles and looming dangers as Counsel in defense of Rabiu Sheriff, Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to former Governor Murtala Hammanyero Nyako of Adamawa State, Barr Gabriel Adikwu has written a formal letter to the Department of State Security (DSS) withdrawing from the case.
Sherif who is innocent of all charges according to Mubi Based business man, Alhaji Aliyu Mubi may likely face the case with no lawyer.
Sheriff who is in the custody of the DSS Barr Adikwu in a media press conference said is withdrawing following up the case because of misrepresentation of facts by the former Governor Nyako’s CSO.
According to him, he was not well brief when the issue was tabled before the DSS thinking that the matter is still with the police, not knowing that it has been withdrawn from the police.
Adikwu was indignant to withdraw himself from any dealings with the former CSO also over a leaked letter which was written in the instruction of the client (Sheriff) to DSS that the matter before them is civil not criminal for them to handle.
Gabriel was shocked to have seen the letter went viral on social media quoting him as the sole person behind the leaked letter to the pressmen.
Gabriel who is the NBA Secretary of Yola Branch and the Principal of Gabriel Adikwu & co Perturbed how Sheriff messed him up with the way media used the letter as new items and published the same in many media outlets using his name.
Barr Adikwu accused Sheriff of leaking out the letter without his consent and as such, he cease to be his defending lawyer because his integrity is at stake.
“Of my fifteen years of practice as a lawyer, I only withdrew from a case simply because it touches on my integrity. The sheriff is denying me before the DSS, I have written formally withdrawing from the case.
“He sent these letters without my consent, putting my integrity at the stake and he denied making the letter available to the press.
“In the instructions of my client (Rabiu Sheriff) I wrote a letter to DSS, presenting the same letters to Sheriff in my very presence he snapped those letter on his phone, I got back home that day only to had a call from the DSS that the letter I gave them I made it available to media men, I said I did not.
“As a professional when a matter is before the court of law you don’t grant an interview to the media. This matter is under investigation I couldn’t have granted an interview to the media, so where that letter came from is from Rabiu Sheriff not from me.
” As far as I know, no pressman has interviewed me as this matter is concerned. The quotation in my name is an error, I couldn’t have done that because I’m a lawyer. I would not have done such a thing because is against the ethics of my Job as a lawyer. Is not from me either is it from my office.” Gabriel said
You would recall that the DSS in Yola, Adamawa State has detained Rabiu who is a Retired Assistant Police Commissioner, former CSO to Nyako when he was the Governor of Adamawa State.
Rabiu was detained last Friday by the DSS following a petition written on behalf of Sebore Farms Limited through its lawyers A.S Mohammed. The farm property belongs to the former Adamawa Governor and his family.
According to a petition addressed to the Director of DSS, Adamawa State command, “Sheriff was instructed by Sebore Farms to buy a landed property at the cost price of N80 million.”
The sheriff was alleged to have changed the sales agreement to Ashran Nigeria Limited, a company, the complainant believed belongs to Sheriff.”
But in another letter addressed to the DSS director which is challenging the Sheriff’s invitation and subsequent detention, Gabriel Adikwu who is Sheriff’s lawyer described it as a “show and abuse of power.”
Adikwu added that the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) which was domesticated in Adamawa State in 2018 prohibits security agencies including the police and DSS to get involved in civil cases and/or detaining suspects in that regard.
The letter made available to TG NEWS noted that “prostituting between security agencies is strange as bringing the same matter which is already before the State Intelligence Bureau (SIB) before you is an abuse of the law.
“More so, that the national agencies act which establishes the State Security Services in section 2 (3) provides thus: (a) the prevention and detection within Nigeria of any crime the internal security of Nigeria; (b) the protection and preservation of all non-military classified matters concerning internal security of Nigeria.”
He noted that the case being civil, is the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts and it is currently being investigated by the police.
Adiku therefore, wondered why the same complaint was made to the DSS, despite its lack of jurisdiction to entertain such complaints.
Sherif when contacted said he has no worries because there are more competent Lawyers abound who are willing to render him good services.
He said Adikwu has given cob services and a senior with more competent and vast experience will take over from.
“It’s clear he can’t give the best legal service. I have more than enough lawyers waiting for my order. “Sherif said
