What of Al-Mustafha Bamaiyi and Others? By Yushau A. Shuaib
This is about morality, fairness,
precedence and justice on criminal cases, no matter the ethnic
backgrounds of those involved. Lately the judiciary has granted bails to
suspects charged with treasonable felony. Some of the beneficiaries of
judicial magnanimity included Ganiyu Adam and Frederick Fasehun of the
Odua Progressive Congress (OPC) in the South-West, Asari
Dokubo and Ateke Tom of militant Niger Delta groups in
South-South and now Ralph Uwazuruike of the Movement for the
Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) in the
South-eastern Nigeria. The only political detainees yet to be released
after more than 8 years in cells are the security officers who served
the Abacha regime and mostly from the Northern Nigeria.
Those security officers who were charged
for attempted murder, an offence committed more than 10 years ago and
yet to be released are the former chief of army staff, General Ishaya
Bamayi; former Security Officer to Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha;
former Commissioner of Police, Mr. James Danbaba; former military
administrator Colonel Jubrin Bala Yakubu and former Chief Superintendent
of Police, Mohammed Rabo Lawal. They were officers of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria, and whose actions, as security personnel, could
have been officially sanctioned by the State through directives from
their superiors. Probably, in the spirit of popular military parlance
“obey-before-complain,” they could have been excessive and
overzealous in their duties.
The charges against some of the ethnic
militia, who have been hailed by some of their people, revolve around
serious criminality like extortion, abduction, political gangsterism,
treason, inciting secession, kidnapping, hostage-taking, killing and
possession of sophisticated fire-arms in the name of struggles for
self-actualization. They are so loved by their people that after their
release, they have been accorded heroic reception, bestowed with
chieftaincy titles and honour and in some cases hosted by the government
for rendezvous even when their cases are yet to be dispensed with in the
court.
While we keep on commending the judiciary
for some of its actions so far, the pressure groups and the media play
significant roles in persuading public perception, which by an extent
could influence legal decisions with further evidence. It is noteworthy
the political sagacity of members of legislature and executive arms from
other geopolitical zones in the country who stoutly stand and defend
their own even if they don’t believe in the approach of their wards.
Unfortunately the Northerners are not sophisticated in the game of
political lobbying, invention of pressure groups and deployment of
aggressive media campaign to draw attention to the sorry plights of
those officers.
Unlike other regions in the country that
are associated with particular languages and religions, the Northern
Nigeria is an amalgamation of different religions and languages beyond
Hausa-Fulanis who cherish their cultural value and distinctive political
heritage. For instance while Al-Mustafha and Rabo are Muslims, Bamaiyi
and Danbaba are Christians.
While some Nigerians still believe in
ethnic chauvinism, like the recent harshest criticisms over effort of
Mubarak Muhammad Abdullahi, a young undergraduate of Bayero University
who was reported by foreign media for fabricating a helicopter, it is
interesting to note that some patriotic Nigerians from other sections of
the country, especially the detribalized Igbos recently mounted a
campaign on the internet for the freedom of those detained officers.
This is indeed a worthy cause that reinforces the uniqueness of Nigeria
as an indivisible entity no matter our differences.
While President Yar’Adua may be cautious
of intervention in the cases involving political detainees from his
geopolitical zones, there is nothing wrong if the administration allows,
not directs, its counsels (lawyers) in charge of the cases to toe the
line of similar cases that give the militant leaders their freedom. No
matter the offence of the Al-Mustafha, Bamaiyi, Danbaba and co, the
unnecessary politicization of their cases gives a sinister impression in
the minds of average Nigerians.
We should not deceive ourselves that the
silence of the Northerners is a sign of satisfaction with the
incarceration of their kith and kin, they believe in the total obedience
to the rule of law. But a situation where the law has preferential
disposition to some suspects on the basis of pressure from their people,
it creates worrisome and agonizing feelings to others. Since the
justification for the release of the militant ethnic leaders were for
medical treatments and to mourn their families, most of the incarcerated
security officers too have developed serious ailments, injuries and lost
their beloved ones and therefore deserved to be set free. What is good
for the goose is also good for the gander.
We cannot deny the callousness and
atrocities committed by the ethinic militia in their struggles and also
some of those security officers in their duties, we may need to forgive
the past misdeed and work towards genuine reconciliation in promoting
national unity. We must unite in the campaign for the freedom or amnesty
for those security officers and all unjustly detained suspects on
prolong trials even if our politicians, our legislators, our youths and
our traditional rulers cannot make incessant noise to draw attention to
their plights.
I feel pained having to make allusion to
the North and South in this piece, but what could have been a better
case for consideration of a concerned Nigerian over this seeming
selective justice? Like my concerned Igbo brother, Hank Eso said: “Since
they were arrested (Al-Mustafha and Co) they have essentially remained
untried, un-sentenced, un-bailed, un-convicted, un-acquitted, and
un-vindicated.”
While we commend concerned Nigerians for
voicing out, my question to sectional jingoists is: Were we to come from
other parts of the country can we stand by some of the parochial
arguments and ethnic sentiments? I believe even among the devils, the
lesser evil deserves some compassion.
Yushau A. Shuaib
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