Last week, among major events in the political scene, was what people viewed as a mess by Nigerian security operatives during the trial of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) last week.
In this week’s Politics Roundup, we considered the events during the trial. We also looked at four other major events and their implications to the growth of the country as well as why they should matter.
1. Kanu’s trial mess
On October 21, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, was re-arraigned at a Federal High Court in Abuja on charges of terrorism.
After the charges levelled against him, which was recently amended from five to seven, including treasonable felony, was read out to him, the IPOB leader pleaded not guilty.
The highlight of the trial was the events many described as a mess, which happened outside the courtroom where the security operatives stopped lawyers who had cases in the court entrance to the courtroom as well as other Nigerians who were at the court to witness the trial.
Implications
What happened during the trial of the leader of the South-East separatist group showed that the Nigerian government is yet to learn from past mistakes.
The popularity Kanu gained both home and abroad before this time came as a result of the government mismanagement of his matter.
By stopping lawyers from entering the court to attend to their legal matters and other showings of the Department of State Service and the police during the trial of Kanu last Thursday, the security forces succeeded in drawing more local and international attention to Kanu and making him more important.
2. Ndume’s escape plans
On Thursday, October 21, Senator Ali Ndume said he recently visited Ghana and Niger as part of a search for a foreign country he would escape to should insecurity in Nigeria go out of hand.
He spoke when the Chairman of the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr Ekpo Nta, defended his agency’s 2021 budget before the Senate Committee on Establishment.
The senator from Borno State said, “Personally, I’m already thinking of where to run to if the avoidable crisis is not averted. I visited Ghana and Niger recently in this regard.”
Implications
Ndume’s escape plans simply illustrate how precarious the state of insecurity in the country has become.
It also supports claims in different quarters that many politicians in the country have sent their family members abroad while those yet to do so already have their escape plans.
While it is everyone’s duty to ensure there is peace in Nigeria, those in the corridors of power should understand that the security of this country is more of their responsibility and that posterity will never forgive them if they failed to save the country from destruction.
3. el-Rufai to Buhari on bandits
Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai on Wednesday joined the National Assembly and other Nigerians to call on President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to declare bandits as terrorists.
After receiving the third quarter security report from the Commissioner of Internal Security and Home Affairs, Mr Samuel Aruwan, at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna, el-Rufai said:
“We in the Kaduna State government had always urged for the declaration of bandits as insurgents and terrorists. We have written letters to the federal government since 2017 asking for this declaration because it is this declaration that will allow the Nigerian military to attack and kill these bandits without any major consequences in international law.
“So, we support the resolution by the National Assembly and we are going to follow up with a letter of support for the federal government to declare these bandits and insurgents as terrorists so that there will be fair game for our military.”
Implications
It is important that all that matters in Nigeria drop partisan, ethnic and religious sentiments and join the call to have bandits branded terrorists as el-Rufai did.
The activities of the criminals portend serious threats to the security of the country and the earlier they are identified as who they truly are and dealt with accordingly the better for the country.
It is very vital at this point for the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to drop its perceived deafness to the call to brand bandits as terrorists to allow security forces to go all out against them and save the country from the daily assault and embarrassment from the criminals.
4. EndSARS memorial
Nigerians, especially youths, on Wednesday, October 20, stormed Lekki Tollgate to stage a memorial protest for the youths allegedly shot at and killed by Nigerian soldiers during the October 2020 EndSARS protest.
The protest took place amid the stationing of no fewer than 30 police trucks and armed personnel deployed around the tollgate to enforce the police ban on protests as organisers of the protest opted for a car procession.
Implications
The insistent of EndSARS promoters to go ahead with the rally regardless of the threat of clampdown by the Nigerian government showed the youths understood no meaningful changes have taken place since the protest against the brutality of the police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) took place a year ago.
The insistent to go ahead with the protest showed that the Nigerian youths are not happy with the insecurity, corruption, economic woes, and general misrule in the country and are always ready to utilise any civic space to call for accountability from a wobbling leadership.
5. Malami’s claim on Igboho
On Friday, October 22, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami claimed that the secession agitation of a Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo, better known as Sunday Igboho, was financed by a serving federal lawmaker.
He said, “The Federal Government has received the report on financers of Adeniyi Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho. The report revealed that Sunday Igboho is a Director and signatory to Adesun International Concept Limited registered on 23rd April 2010 and is linked to 43 bank accounts in nine banks.
“The major financier of the fugitive and separatists was found to be a Federal lawmaker in the National Assembly.”
Implications
The claim by Malami shows that the Nigerian Government seems not to be ready to drop the vexed attitude of relying on media trials.
It also shows its penchant for jettisoning the rule of law when hunting down perceived dissidents.
The government also succeeded in justifying claims that it does not tolerate genuine criticism and that it disregards the judicial process in handling issues. This may have explained the reason for the growing unrest in the country and the feelings of uncertainty for the future of Nigeria as a nation.