“Are you going to hang him anyhow and try him afterward?”
Mark Twain, 1835-1910. VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS p 85.
The effectiveness of a national security organization is determined by the accuracy of its reports. By the time the FBI breaks into any premises, it had gathered sufficient and reliable information to violate the fundamental rights of the occupants. Scotland Yard would never arrest first, on spurious charges, and later run around for evidence. That is standard operating procedure in any democracy.
The Department of State Services, DSS, in Nigeria, especially since May 29, 2015, still cannot understand that this is a democracy and there is a constitution and there are laws that must be obeyed by all – including the DSS. Its leaders seem to operate under the mistaken belief that since a former military Head of State is back in office, they have impunity. I have bad news for them. There had been a major change since May 29, 1999. We have been trying our best to practice democracy. We don’t want anybody to take us back to draconian governance. And that is why I think the DSS is misleading the President.
They have done it at least four times in the last seven months by arresting various individuals, detaining them, making false or exaggerated claims about alleged crimes those individuals were said to have committed. They have followed this up, each and every time, by going to court to oppose bail for offences that allow bail to the accused persons and refusing to release them when granted bail. The first question to ask is: in whose interests is the DSS acting?
That said let me list the four major assaults on individuals and buildings which have now become the subject of front page news nationwide – while creating tension everywhere. The first was the invasion of the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge. After which a spokesman for the DSS made an announcement that, acting on reliable information, they invaded the premises and discovered arms and ammunition, as well as stacks of money in foreign currency. The arms we were even told were in such quantities as to threaten national security. More than five months after, nobody had been charged to court and the matter died a natural death. Why? The answer is simple: it was a lie. If not the DSS should come out and prove its charges.
“I disapprove of what you say, but, I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Francois Voltaire, 1694-1778. VBQ, p 218.
The second is the on-going drama about Biafra and the detention of the leaders of the agitation for self-determination. Personally, I think the agitation for Biafra is misguided and will not solve the Igbo problem. But, all my adult life had been spent insisting on the fundamental human rights of people. That includes the right to self-determination. It will be sad if Igbo people leave Nigeria, but, like the Israelites leaving Egypt, Pakistanis departing India and Southern Cameroun bidding Nigeria good-bye, it will not be the end of the world. If the majority of Igbos still want to go, after a referendum, Nigeria should let them.
VANGUARD
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