Saraki’s ‘Robbery Links’ and the Insolence of Dan-Ali
I am still struggling to understand why the Police have been holding press conferences to celebrate the alleged confession of the Offa robbery gang to sordid links to Presiden t of the Senate, Bukola Saraki. These conferences are utterly unnecessary and a shameful celebration by the police. For me, the police are just out to ridicule the Senate President as part of the war to decimate him. The leadership of the police apparently wants to be seen helping the Executive in this war against Saraki. The truth be told; it is all about the 2019 Presidency. Unfortunately, the police have only succeeded in ridiculing itself and desecrating the entire country with its partisanship. In sane societies, discreet investigation would follow such confessions by criminals caught in the act; not media trial. This is why lucid societies don’t take us seriously. This Saraki media trial is thoughtless, insensitive and highly offensive. Decent people must all rise and speak up against shenanigans like this one.
The politicization of police investigations and summons must end. Nigerian police must learn to adhere to global standards in investigations and summons, so that we can exit the inglorious club of badly policed countries. It is so sad; in this part of the world, most of those in positions of authority seem to act under the influence of excessive codeine. The joint session of the National Assembly held on Tuesday to deliberate on shenanigans by heads of our security agencies and resolutions reached should challenge the Executive to have a volte-face and reinstruct heads of these vital federal agencies; they must stop playing politics with virtually everything. I concur with the NASS resolutions, particularly the caution to President Muhammadu Buhari to always adhere to the Rule of Law.
I also agree that the “systematic harassment and humiliation by the Executive of perceived political opponents, people with contrary opinion, including legislators and judiciary, by the Police and other security agencies must stop” and that the President “must be held accountable for the actions of his appointees and must be ready to sanction those that carry out any act which will ridicule or endanger our country and democracy.”
For me, heads of our security agencies should channel the energy and resources being used to persecute perceived political opponents of the President towards tackling the killings across the country. I doubt if they are aware that in the early hours of Wednesday, killer herdsmen launched fresh attacks on Guma and Logo local government areas of Benue State, leading to the death of nine persons. These two local government areas have for months faced incessant attacks. Aside from the killing of innocent Nigerians, security agents are also being killed in hundreds by killer herdsmen and Boko Haram. These should burden our security chiefs.
This one is for our dear IGP Ibrahim Idris. Just on Sunday, an inspector, a sergeant and a corporal were slaughtered by killer herdsmen at Maraban-Udege village in Nasarawa Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The state Police Command has confirmed this. The policemen were ambushed and killed on their way to quell a fight between Agatu farmers and Fulani herdsmen. This should burden IGP Idris who recently sent hundreds of policemen after weaponless Senator Dino Melaye. He should please send these policemen after killer herders.
On the flip side, another of the President’s men who has been behaving strangely is Defence Minister, Mansur Dan-Ali (rtd.). With a man like this minister, this country will continue struggling to end killings. Notwithstanding the outcry against nomadic cattle rearing and the killings trailing it, Dan-Ali insists that this retrogressive practice must continue in our modern society. The defence minister on Tuesday in Abuja advised the nation’s Security Council presided over by Buhari to suspend anti-open grazing laws in Benue, Taraba and Ekiti states, while also demanding for safe routes for herders. He said this would be negotiated with the farmers. Only God knows what he means by this.
Dan-Ali seems unaware that the 1999 Constitution empowers state Houses of Assembly to make laws for the good governance of the states. He is shamelessly ignorant that states are empowered by the Land Use Act to take ownership and management of land resources and wants the federal government to dabble into the affairs of states.
Senator Barnabas Gemade was apt when he reprimanded Dan-Ali thus: “This is not the first time that we will hear this kind of absurd statements coming from no less a personality than the Minister of Defence. If a Minister of Defence is calling for anarchy, where else can we find peace? We understand that the minister comes from Zamfara State and I wonder if all the killings in Zamfara that are almost equal in number with the ones in Benue, are also as a result of the anti-open grazing law. And if by his own experience, the killings in Zamfara have nothing to do with the anti-open grazing law, why does he believe that the killings in Benue and Taraba are because they enacted the laws? While we are looking up to the government for protection, and indeed looking up to the security agencies for protection, we get so dismayed by the attitude of those who lead these security forces.”
My dear Dan-Ali, nomadic cattle rearing is an aberration in any modern society. Ours can’t be an exception. Please, stop these retrograde moves.