The kidnapping and allied criminal activities bedeviling Nigeria have more intensely unraveled in bigger dimensions compromised security agencies of the Nigerian state with the killing of three police officers and a civilian, by soldiers in Taraba State allegedly to rescue a kidnap kingpin.
The policemen drafted from the Intelligent Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) had embarked on covert operation to arrest a prominent kidnap kingpin, Hamisu Bala (alias Wadume).
The police officers came under a barrage of gunfire by soldiers after, while the kidnap kingpin disappeared in inexplicable circumstances, fuelling speculations that the soldiers had come to rescue the alleged kidnapper, whose arrest may have exposed the link some nefarious security operatives have with criminals in the society. Hamisu Bala, the man at the centre of controversy between the police and the army, is said to be generous from the proceeds of his crime and is said to be well connected.
However, the killing of the police officers said to be among the best in cracking issues of kidnapping and allied forms of criminality has triggered a bitter face-off between the police and the army and increased tension of a possible reprisal by the police. Although President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered investigation into the matter, the army statement that its men shot at the police officers because they perceived them as kidnappers appears less believable.
Speaking to BDSUNDAY on Friday, a security analyst and columnist, Majeed Dahiru, described the situation as disturbing, adding that if it is not properly handled it could degenerate into total chaos.
Nigerians have continued to wonder how a most wanted criminal suspect was allegedly set free by soldiers and in the process killing men of a sister security agency. This further gave credence to the belief that there was ulterior motive of the callous act exposing a clear collaboration between security officials and organised crime in Nigeria.
The situation appears more threatening situation especially now that the police are enraged and threatening reprisal.
According to Dahiru, “It is indicative of a total collapse of Nigeria’s security infrastructure to such an extent that we have noticed credible evidence of infiltration within the rank and file of the forces and men of the Nigerian security across board and that is why insecurity becomes intractable among many other reasons. So, there is a nexus between this infiltration and the intractability of the current high rate of insecurity of the Nigerian state and it is something that gets all of us worried, and this a complete failure of governance at the highest level.
“That we can even think of the fact that the police can go on reprisal and we have seen rising tempers among sister security agencies and their bickering among each other, it is also an indication of failure of governance. Also, the failure of impartial enforcement of law and order as it concerns the civilian populace is what we are seeing in the security circle because there is no justice.”
According to the security analyst, “This has happened few days that members of the elite IRT police, who have displayed some level of competence in combating armed criminality and kidnapping were murdered by soldiers that should defend Nigeria’s territorial integrity and up till now we are still dilly-dallying, committees are being set up, this is a clear case of extra-judicial murder of police officers in the line of duty.”
He noted that by now, the army should have swung into action to arrest those involved in this crime, adding that this is the only way the police officers will not begin to take the laws into their hands by carrying out reprisal attacks or even defending themselves against brutality of the army.
“The Nigerian army must understand that it is not a gangster organisation. We have seen soldiers behaving in roguish manner in a constitutional democracy, it is unacceptable; it creates a situation where the victims will have no choice but to defend themselves with arms available to them and that will be anarchy because both forces are equally armed.
“Going forward, I think we must begin to review our security architecture because the role of soldiers should not be internal security operations. In fact, soldiers are not supposed to appear in the midst of civilians in military uniform except in the line of duty when it is absolutely necessary. We should begin to reform and re-equip the police force and have them take complete control of internal security because no country uses soldiers for internal security,” he said.
Nigerians are still grappling with this disturbing Taraba incident as some have linked the rampant and ceaseless banditry in the northern parts of the country to alleged collaboration with compromised security system of the country. Last year, former Chief of Army Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, a retired Lieutenant-General, had warned the nation that the incessant attacks against indigenous farmers across the nation by the Fulani cattle herders, receive some cover and collaboration from the military.
Danjuma had said that the military are “colluding with bandits to kill innocent Nigerians and that “they (military) guide their movement, they cover them”, warning Nigerians that if they don’t defend themselves against the killer herdsmen, they “will die one by one” as the military cannot protect them.
Describing the Taraba episode as a poignant incident, Segun Adeniyi, spokesman of former president Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, said: “That, perhaps, explains why many Nigerians believe the killing of the policemen in Taraba has more to do with the protection of the kidnap suspect now at large than the spurious claim of any attempt to free some kidnap victims.”
He also expressed worry that there is now genuine fear of the “growing linkages between our security agencies and subversive activities. The high level of corrupt tendencies among the high echelon of our national security has already been exposed by the EFCC investigations of service chiefs in the immediate past administration. Equally worrisome is the dangerous tendency by security personnel to treat weapons issued to them as instruments for advancing their private interests,” Adeniyi said.
According to him, the “Taraba debacle has also brought to the fore some salient issues that need to be addressed in the interest of our collective safety. The unhealthy rivalry among these security agencies, fuelled largely by a needless fight over turf between their leaderships, has become a serious national security threat.”
The police are still seething in anger over the killing of their officers and are said to be poised for reprisal. Even the Army headquarters has warned its men to only wear mufti in public to avoid confrontation with the infuriated policemen. The tension is high and only a thorough probe into the matter and bringing the culprits to book will douse it.
Innocent Odoh, Abuja
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