Trail of Incompetence

President Goodluck Jonathan

*Bomb blast hits Nigeria

*Security apparatus and anti-graft agencies collapsing

*NDLEA and Baba Suwe’s Case an eyesore

*Who are Dele Giwa’s killers?

The state of incompetence of our security apparatus and anti-graft agencies across Nigeria is becoming alarming, as one can no longer have faith in them. A recent attack in the northeast of Nigeria has left at least 69 people dead in a wave of bombing and shooting carried out leaving frightened mourners burying their dead, likewise the scenario between Babatunde Omidina a.k.a Baba Suwe and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA is a signal that our security apparatus has collapsed.

Overtime, Nigeria has been hit by series of bombing, kidnapping, Rape, Assassination, Tribal wars and numerous vices, which dissipate the trust of the masses in the topmost priority of the essence of governance which is to protect lives and property and maintain peace and security.

An attack was recently launched on police station, Army base and churches in Damaturu on the eve of Eid-el-kabir before gun battles against security forces. Though there was no claim of responsibility for the suicide bombing and attacks in Damaturu, Capital of Yobe state and Maiduguri, in Borno state. But blaims immediately fell on the sect known as Boko Haram, which had staged bombings and assassinations around Nigeria’s north.

This public unrest started since July 2009 when Boko haram staged attacks in Bauchi; clashed with police and army in Maiduguri. And in December 2010, the group claimed bombings in central Nigeria and attacks on churches.

Boko haram has waged an increasedly bloody sectarian fight against Nigeria’s weak central government. A suicide bomber claimed by the group attacked the UN headquarters in August, while another bomber targeted the Federal police headquarters in June.

Boko haram whose name means, “Western Education is a sacrilege” in local Hausa language, has targeted, assassinations and bombings around Nigeria’s North. The group, whose followers wear long beards and red or black scarves, considers all who do not follow its strict ideology as infidels, whether they are Christians or Muslims. The group is demanding for addition of Sharia, Islamic law, in all of Nigeria.

It should be noted that the president, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan during a post Election statement re-assured of his solemn duty to duty to defend the constitution of this country. That includes the obligation to protect the lives and properties of every Nigerian wherever they choose to live.

“ I assured all Nigerians that I will do so with all powers at my disposal as president, commander-in-Chief” he stated.

Nigerian Police

Condemning the recent bomb attack in Yobe and Maiduguri, Acting National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje stated, “ The latest bombings in Damaturu and Maiduguri were bizarre, tragic and unfortunate. They literally broke the peace, sacrife and solemnity, which the Eid-el- Kabir signifies.”

Despite the recent surge in the Northeast Nigeria, Defence Minister Mohammed Bello speaking with journalist said that a lot of progress has been made there. “I believe our security agencies are doing very well in containing the situation,” he said.

Also the U.S state department has warned travellers to stay away from three major hotels in Abuja, the Nigerian Capital after learning of a possible new assault.

The case of incompetence of our anti-graft agency, NDLEA in the case of popular Yoruba actor, Babatunde Omidina also known as Baba Suwe who was arrested at Muritala Muhammed Airport on October 12, 2011 on his way to Paris of alleged possession of Narcotics which had brought about lot of controversies over the past few weeks is a global eyesore.

Baba Suwe was granted freedom after the agencies could not prove that he has ingested the said Narcotics after putting him through series of test. Immediately he regained his freedom following a court bail injunction, his fans swarmed round him and carried him shoulder-high while screaming “O ya gbe ti”.

Baba Suwe has sued NDLEA seeking compensation for his bartered image and violation of his Fundamental Human Right by keeping him in custody for more than the constitutionally allowed 24 hours.

Insider learnt that the scanning machine employed by NDLEA, was donated by the United States government to the agency in 2008, the machine is believed to be one of the most sophisticated x-ray body scanning machine available for drug detection.

The image, integrity and ideology of the agency is skirmished for emphatically claiming through scanner result that Baba Suwe had narcotics substance in his belly yet no physical substance to prove of his guilt after series of excretion.

The level of competence of our executive arm of government calls for questions as numerous robberies, assassination, bomb blast cases are still on resolved. 25 years after the death of the backbone of Investigative Journalism in Nigeria, the person of Dele Giwa, the Police are yet to expose the killers of a man who should have been a jewel to the fourth realm of the estate.

Late Dele Giwa

Dele was home on Talabi street, Ikeja, Lagos, about to eat a meal with Newswatch’s London Bureau Chief Kayode Soyinka when his son, Billy, brought in a large brown envelope addressed to him and carrying what seemed to be the official government seal. As he attempted to open the parcel, it blew up. It was a parcel bomb. Dele’s lower half was almost severed from his body. Dele Giwa’s killers are still walking out there.

Addressing the issues of our security flaws, a statement issued by National publicity secretary of the All Nigerian People’s Party, Emma Eneukwu called on the Federal Government to urgently explore and implement a visionary and holistic security strategy that will address the remote and immediate cause of this rather unfortunate state of affairs.

The protection of lives and property of every Nigerian wherever they choose to live is a solemn duty of the government of the day as encoded in the Constitution of Nigeria; President Goodluck Jonathan must act swiftly to curtail this security flaw and also redeem is image as a capable administrator for a better Nigeria.