When sovereignty strikes back
The past week will remain a reassuring reference point in the annals of Nigerian security operations that first surprised the world by sensationally retrieving Nnamdi Kanu, the nation’s most wanted fugitive leader of a violent secessionist cult, from foreign hideouts before forcing the other tribal separatist provocateur, Sunday Igboho, to flee from a lightening raid on his home.
These operations are a pointer to the gravity of wilful threats to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria and the absolute necessity to nip them in the bud.
It is most instructive that this spectacular performance of the intelligence community occurred when the propaganda of national pessimism had become an epidemic, riding on the remorseless fixation with doomsday depictions by partisan opposition, ethnic champions and their media megaphones. Pulling off such a breathtaking international intelligence operation and smoking out an “invincible” local war monger in a couple of days was a dazzling display of sophisticated operational strategy that must have aptly sent the appropriate signals in the language of the outlaws.
Apart from the obvious lesson that rebellion and terrorism do not pay, there are many other telling inferences from the shocking and awesome recapture of Nnamdi Kanu and rattling of Sunday Igboho by Nigeria’s security and intelligence services, dramatically demonstrating the dexterity of the proverbial long arm of the law which sooner than later, catches up with those who would rather circumvent constitutional procedure in pursuit of aspirations and even unleash violence in the process. Such uncivilised conduct invariably becomes the nemesis of the “independent” republics should they ever realise their self-serving schemes.
The ultimate import of these operations is the vindication of the critical institutions of state which have remained resilient and resolute in their sworn allegiance to uphold and defend the Nigerian state against all existential threats.
The “collaborative efforts” of the nation’s security and intelligence agencies which achieved the feats was a fortuitous reminder to the loud minority of selfimposed politically-ambitious urban “stakeholders” who are quick to write us off as a “failed nation” from which they will “break away” whenever they are outside the corridors of power, that indeed Nigeria is greater than their myopic misgivings.
More crucially, there are Nigerians whose “ambition” is patriotic eternal vigilance and commitment to protect and uphold the sovereignty, law and order for continued peaceful co-existence of the silent but loyal majority of citizens. Citizenship is unconditionally anchored on not having any other country to call your own – or to escape to for refuge after making Nigeria “ungovernable”.
But for the unwavering focus of the rank and file of our security, intelligence and defence institutions on the larger picture of territorial integrity, indivisibility and sovereignty of our dear country, the forsaken fate whimsically wished upon it
Maduka wrote from Awka