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Return Of Alamieyesegha: Between Diplomacy And Legality By Mahdi Shehu
As usual, customary and expected with news reporting and commentary opinions on particularly topical and sensational issues, The Nigeria media aided by serving Senators, presidential aides and assorted diplomats have once again taken over the stage, using different styles, ranging from the sensible, nonsensical, stupid to that with dangerous dimensions in reporting the sudden, unexpected but in my view TIMELY and pleasant return of Bayelsa State Governor to Nigeria through whatever means available and open to him.
In the process of reporting him, many salient and fundamental issues were either ignored or deliberately silenced and swept under the carpet because opposing him will please "Baba Obasanjo" who decides whom to crucify or whom to anoint no matter his degree of culpability. Adopting that defective approach enable many to wish and distort away history resultant from which a clear cut injustice is being visited on the Bayelsa Governor. Anyway, the Nigeria legal system seems to be predicated on the presumption that an accused person is presumed guilty until he is proved guilty. That seems to be what is applicable in the present case of the embattled Bayelsa State Governor.
But for the avoidance of doubt, let it be known that it is only by going down memory lane, dusting our history books and composing ourselves that we would be able to appreciate the many interesting dimensions to Alamieyesegha issue whose import and export are beyond the current emotions being expressed left, right, centre, up and down by particularly Retired and serving diplomats and legal practitioners of high repute who are supposed to know better. Let me concede that the embattled :Governor jumped bail under the British justice system and it is a punishable offence. But that punishment cannot be spelt by anybody in Nigeria because we are statute barred. Not only because he is not in breach of Nigeria law at the time of jumping the bail but more because even by the existing laws, in Nigeria, he is precluded from being charged to Court for any crime as long as he is occupying the seat of the Governor of Bayelsa State. In fact just before him, Joshua Dariye also jumped bail from the same Britain, returned to Nigeria and continue occupying his seat as a governor. Similar hasty impeachment proceedings were initiated but they died a natural death.
If one may recall, in 1976, one Captain Dauda Usman and Sgt. Clement Yilda of the Nigerian Army were among the coup plotters that masterminded the assassination of late Nigerian Head of State, General Murtala Mohammed. Their colleagues, Bukar Suka Dimka and Co. were tried, found culpable and subsequently executed. Capt. Dauda and Sgt. Clement Sneaked away through the borders and ended up in Britain. The British Government were fully aware of the treasonable offence they committed against Nigeria which is a much more heinous crime compared to that alleged to have been committed by the Bayelsa State Governor. But yet instead of sending them back to Nigeria to face the law, they harboured them, offered them asylum and by April 9th, 1978 granted them full citizenship of the United Kingdom. Many subsequent requests by Nigeria government for their extradition back to Nigeria as provided for by the Extradition Treaty between Nigeria and Britain were frustrated or turned down. As at today, both Capt. Dauda Usman and Sgt Clement Yilda remain bona fide citizens of the United Kingdom. In plain diplomatic language Britain is in breach of the spirit, contents and recitals of our extradition treaty with it. Breach Number One (1).
In 1995, at the heat of Abacha's sanitization of the Banking Sector, the then Managing Director of Gamji Bank now International Trust Bank, Mr. S.B. Abubakar was arraigned before a High court with charges bordering on breach of trust and theft of Gamji Bank Shareholders money to the tune of 58 million. Having duly refunded all the money, the Court eventually sentenced him to five years imprisonment without any option of fine. He was remanded in Ikoyi Prison. In a miracle similar to that of Dariye and Alamieyesegha, S.B. Abubakar sneaked out of the Ikoyi Prison and before one says Jack Robinson he was sighted in London. Again in a speed of light he was granted citizenship of the United Kingdom even though not an asylum seeker but a man who jumped jail sentence, not bail, from Nigeria. As it is today, S.B. Abubakar is a bona fide citizen of the United Kingdom living in the heart of London and gainfully employed at the detriment of the Nigerian justice system. Breach No. 2 (Two).
In fact very recently in year 2000, Obasanjo's cousin, Julius Makanjuola, then Permanent secretary, Ministry of Defence in concert with his then Finance Director Iro Matazu, stole the sum of 480 million Naira. Makanjuola and Matazu all confessed in writing as to their involvement in the illegal transaction. Eventually they were arraigned before a High Court in Lagos and were remanded in prison custody at Ikoyi Prison. Somewhere somehow, Makanjuola sneaked out of the prison, briefly went to Britain and later settled in the United States as a born again Christian, ministering in a flamboyant church he founded where he is currently churning out prophesies by the minute. He is today a bona fide citizen of the United States at the expense of the Nigerian justice system. Breach No. 3 (Three).
One can continue giving examples ad-infinitum. But enough for the purpose at hand. Because the breaches are endless.
Legal system of each country is dear to it no matter the bastardization it is going through. By giving refuse, cover, protection and shelter, to run-away Nigerian convicts, the British and other foreign governments will have their justice system truncated by Nigerians not through any official prompting but as a retribution to their looking away at a time when they are to act wisely.
Abducting a seating president like it happened in Nicaragua and Panama might be helpful to desperate leaders. Threatening to issue international warrants of arrest against the returning Bayelsa State Governor or Joshua Dariye or indeed any other "erring" Nigerian Governor in the future will only spell doom and consign diplomacy to the grave from its current status of being in the dust bin. Responding and reacting to alleged money lauundering cases selectively will only heat the polity further. Making fish out of one case and beef out of another is not helpful either.
The shameless, hasty and teleguided convening of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly in a hidden location in Lagos for the purpose of impeaching Alamieyesegha further exposes and gives credence to the insinuation that the Federal Government is after the Bayelsa State Governor not because he is the only money launderer among the Governors but he happens to be a prince-launder who refuses to dance to the music of "Baba's drum" whose rhythm he seems not to understand or understands but is alien to his culture, inclination and conscience. Withdrawing his ADC and CSO by the Inspector General of Police, deploying military troops to Bayelsa by the Federal Government fuel the suspicion further. Seizing his assets by the British Government further confirms the Selective nature of British legal system. Pity.
Welcome Alamieyesegha but continue to watch over your shoulders for reptiles and other dangerous animals out to eat you raw and to your bones marrow.
(Mahdi Shehu)
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