The dreaded Boko-Haram sect has
continued to unleash mayhem on defenceless civilians including school children
in the north east region . In the last couple of months, the satanic society
has annexed part of the territory of the Republic of Nigeria. In the
circumstance, the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr.
Goodluck Jonathan has requested both chambers of the National Assembly to
ratify his decision to extend emergency rule in the war torn Adamawa, Borno and
Yobe states in accordance with section 305 of the Constitution. While the
Senate has commenced deliberations
on the request the House of Representatives
has been violently restrained by the Police from considering such matter of
urgent national significance.
Without any justification
whatsoever, the Speaker of the House, Honourable Aminu Tambuwal and his
colleagues were teargased by the Police and prevented from gaining access to
the chambers of the National Assembly last Thursday. In a bid to enter the
chambers some of the legislators risked their lives by jumping the fence. In
the process, they exposed themselves and the nation to undeserved ridicule.
Consequent on the break down of law and order instigated by the Police the
National Assemby complex was closed down by the Senate President, General David
Mark (rtd). Thus, the House was prevented from carrying out its legislative
duties contrary to the order of the Federal High Court that the status quo ante
bellum be maintained pending the determination of the suit filed by Honourable
Tambuwal over the removal of his security aides.
Although the majority of the members
foiled the coup to remove the Speaker the triumph of democracy in the National
Assembly may be short lived. Since the ruling party cannot secure the
endorsement of the required two thirds majority to remove Speaker Tambuwal the
House will be factionalized while the minority will be given official
recognition and security protection under a new leadership. In justifying the
barbaric invasion of the National Assembly complex by security forces the
Insector-General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba claimed that the police received
intelligence report that hoodlums were going to break law and order in the
premises of the National Assembly. To the detriment of democracy the security
forces decided to break the law when the hoodlums failed to turn up as
arranged!
In a reckless display of
partisanship the Police ensured that the Deputy Speaker of the House,
Honourable Ihediora and a few other legislators were not subjected to any form
of harassment. Meanwhile, the Presidency and the Police have turned round to
blame the Speaker and his colleagues for assaulting security operatives who
were discharging their “lawful duties” at the National Assembly complex.
According to the Police, Tambuwal and a motley crowd of his supporters “broke
the cordon, assaulted the Police and evaded due process…” The Police then
warned “all political actors to respect constituted authority and due process
and desist from the use of thugs to pursue their agenda.”
As security forces were used last
week to disrupt the proceedings of the National Assembly President Jonathan was
prevented by a former militant , Mr. Government Tompolo from attending the
flag-off ceremony of the $16 billion EPZ project in Warri, Delta State. Like
the terrorists who have prevented the President from visiting Chibok the
militants declared him a persona non grata and forced him to stay away from
Warri. As if that was not enough, the journalists who had assembled at the
venue to report the event were abducted by a horde of armed goons. Even though
the reporters regained their freedom after six hours of horrific physical and
mental torture those who committed the grave criminal offences of kidnapping
and threatening to overawe the President of the Republic have not been arrested
by the Nigeria Police Force!
Thus, through sheer negligence and
official impunity on the part of the Federal Government the country has become
a failed State where security forces are competing with criminal gangs in the
wanton infringements of the civil liberties of law abiding citizens. Like the
terrorists who attack communities while ill-equipped soldiers vamoose, armed
thugs are allowed to threaten the life of the President of the Republic while
the Police without any reaction from the Police. But unlike terrorists who abduct
school girls in the night, militants kidnap journalists, lawyers and others
during the day. Unlike coup plotters who overthrow legitimate governments at
night security forces collude with anti-democratic forces in broad daylight to
remove elected leaders of legislative houses. Having been enriched by the State
and allowed to acquire weapons without any license some ex-militants have set
up armed gangs for the 2015 general election.
It is common knowledge that many
politicians have also established illegal violent groups of unemployed youths
and cultists. Of recent, there were bloody clashes between armed thugs in
several parts of the country. In fact, policemen attached to some politicians
have taken part in such clashes which marred some of the congresses of the APC
and the PDP. The Sheik Ahmed Lemu Panel set up by President Jonathan to inquire
into the post election violence which occurred in Akwa Ibom state and some
northern states in April 2011 had recommended that over 850 armed thugs
and hoodlums be prosecuted for culpable homicide, arson and allied offences.
Although the recommendation was accepted by the Federal Government the persons
indicted in the report have not been prosecuted.
In one of his media chats last year,
President Jonathan rightly condemned the military invasion of Odi community in
Bayelsa state in November 1999 by the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration. Shortly
thereafter, Chief Obasanjo accused President Jonathan of training snipers to
attack his political opponents. Although the serious allegation was denied by
the Presidency security forces are now joined by hounded militants and other
nihilist groups to harrass voters during elections. It is an irony that the
President of the Republic is being harassed and intimidated with weapons acquired
under the pretext of executing multi-billion oil pipeline monitoring contracts
by ex-militants!
In the first and second republics
security forces and thugs were used in the manipulation of elections and the
violations of the rights of the Nigerian people. Such naked abuse of power by
the Federal Government paved away for military interventions and the civil war.
In the third republic, the military dictators annulled a credible presidential
election. The crisis that ensued terminated the expensive political transition
programme and facilitated the return of a full-fledged military dictatorship
with dire consequences. However, it is hoped that the ongoing politicization of
the security forces, the unprecedented wave of official corruption and the subversion
of democratic institutions by the Federal Government will not lead to the
eventual collapse of the fragile forth Republic.
In spite of the threat of terrorist
and other nihilist groups to balkanize the country I strongly believe that the
rickety democratic process can still be salvaged by all the genuine democratic
forces who led the Nigerian people to fight against unending military rule and
who equally defeated the cabal that attempted to take advantage of President
Umaru Yaradua’s ill-health to seize power from the then Acting President, Dr.
Jonathan. As time is not on our side the forces of democracy ought to return to
the trenches now to halt the imposion of fascism on the nation by the Jonathan
Administration.
Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, a noted public
affair commentator, is a leading human rights lawyer, and member of the
Nigerian legal velvet rank, sent this piece from Lagos.
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