The integrity of Nigerian state has been questioned and all its
security agencies including Department of State Security (DSS),
Nigeria Police and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) are
on public trial. Whether they would pass this test is left to the
current administration.
In particular, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s government which
prided itself as an anti-corruption administration is on trial in
public glare and the whole world is watching to see, if the integrity
of this great nation will be protected or shattered on the basis of
personal interest and loyality.
During the weekend, I watched a video of popular human right radio
program, Brekete family anchored by Ahmad Issa, the ordinary
president. The segment in question was the continuation of a fraud
case, allegedly involving Abba Kyari, chief of staff to President
Muhammadu Buhari.
The matter in question also involves allegation of impunity, human
right violation and high level criminality perpetrated by legitimate
state institutions such as Department of State Security (DSS) under
the leadership of the recently sacked Director General of the agency,
Lawal Daura, with the involvement of Inspector General of Police,
Ibrahim Idris as well as the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission
(EFCC).
Surprisingly, some people came in defense of Abba Kyari from his home
state of Borno and according to them; they came to speak about the
character of the accused and to testify to his reputation. Amongst
them were many old people, as well as some young men. However, apart
from explaining how long they have known Abba Kyari and the jobs he
has done before his current position as chief of staff to the
president, nothing relating to the matter in question is within their
knowledge.
After the victims had narrated their story and opportunity was given
for observation, a young man who claimed to have investigated the
matter as a concerned observer took the microphone and attempted to
discredit the fraud case without taking into account, facts already
established as claimed by the two victims, Ayuba Bako and a Police
DSP.
The young man who was obviously doing a spin job wanted to fault the
claim of the victims in a pathetic way. Thankfully, the host, Ahmad
Issa did a wonderful job by setting the ball rolling in the right
direction. The very passionate ordinary president also did justice to
the other elderly men who tried to override issues with personal
sentiments. Brekete family must be really commended.
I have keenly followed the matter from inception and have become an
interested observer like the rest of the citizens and from my
observation, the facts that has been established so far is as follows:
1. A victim of fraud, Ayuba Bako who is from the same town as Chief of
Staff to the president, Abba Kyari was duped to the tune of N30
million over a contract worth N300 million. He alleged that the
fraudulent action was carried out by Abba Kyari along with one Ado
Sanni.
2. A police DSP, who was brought into the matter by people owed by the
victim investigated the matter and established some facts that are
incontrovertible. The officer established contact with Ado Sanni, who
confirmed the deal and subsequently reached out to Abba Kyari, who
claimed ignorance of the matter. Ado Sanni confirmed he was paid the
sum totaling about N30million by the victim under the instruction of
Abba Kyari as alleged.
3. As a result of the police investigation and possible exposure of
the culprits, more than 10 fully armed security vehicles full of DSS
officers were dispatched by Lawal Daura, Director General of
Department of State Security (DSS) to arrest the DSP dead or alive.
4. Upon his arrest, the DSP was made to call the victim and both of
them were illegally kept in DSS detention for over a month without any
charge. In the course of their detention, they were separately asked
to criminalize each other, which they refused to do. The police DSP
was also asked to criminalize Ado Sanni as the culprit, thereby
exonerating Abba Kyari, but he refused to compromise.
5. At the DSS office, the police DSP claimed to have established that
indeed, the Chief of Staff to the president, Abba Kyari was
responsible for the fraud, which was why he ordered his unlawful
arrest and detention. The DSP claimed to have not only met face to
face with DG DSS, Lawal Daura during his detention, he also claimed to
have met with Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president, both of
whom queried him on why he wanted to expose the chief of staff before
he was dumped in detention.
6. If we leave the issue of fraud aside, it has been established, as
claimed by the police DSP that the chief of Staff to the President,
Abba Kyari in conjunction with DG DSS, Lawal Daura are responsible for
their unlawful arrest, assault, illegal detention and violation of
human dignity. Unraveling the reason for their illegal detention may
likely lead us to those behind the fraud.
7. The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris was also involved
needs to explain his role, because after the police DSP was released
by DSS, he was handed over to the office of police IG, who took his
statement containing indicting allegation against Abba Kyari and Lawal
Daura, yet proceeded to put him in another illegal detention for over
a month without investigating those he indicted in his statement.
8. And after a month in police detention, the DSP was eventually
released without any charge, and sent on a course by the police.
9. Few months after their release, the victim of fraud, Ayuba Bako who
is determined to get justice proceeded to write a petition to the
acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and
after several rejection by agents of the commission because the name
of Abba Kyari was featured, some courageous EFCC agents investigated
the matter and established a case of fraud against Abba Kyari as
alleged by the victim, but before they could act any further on the
matter, those agents were removed from their offices.
10. The victim waited in vain for EFCC to help him get justice, so he
decided to report to a human right radio, Brekete family.
What surprised me is that despite the nature of the matter and the
many numerous questions begging for answer yet to be provided by the
authority, some over bearing busy bodies didn’t allow the chief of
staff to defend himself, if indeed he was wrongly accused, neither did
they allow DSS, Police and EFCC to deny the allegations made against
them by the victims. They came to the public glare to expose their
inhumanity by associating with possible oppressors who could turn
around to also oppress them.
They came to defend Abba Kyari, chief of staff to the president who
can easily defend himself to the highest level if indeed he his
innocent. How easy do we defend people who can defend themselves,
while leaving those who really need our help?
These defenders of the powerful were not there when the victim was
allegedly discussing with Abba Kyari in a hotel in Abuja, they were
not there when money was allegedly paid into the account of Ado Sanni
under the instruction of Abba Kyari, they were not there when the DSP
investigated and allegedly established some facts indicting the chief
of staff, they were not there when DSS allegedly arrested the victim
and the DSP and kept them in unlawful detention for months, they were
not there when the DSP was subsequently handed over to the IG of
police and was further remanded in Asokoro Police station for more
than a month, neither were they there, when the victim allegedly went
to EFCC to submit a petition and those who investigated the matter
were removed from their positions.
These are issues that should concern any well meaning Nigerian who
truly want to stand for justice.
If these defenders of the powerful man were not there to witness these
entire scenarios, how can they confidently come to the public to
defend a man who can defend himself but has not done so?
To see some of our people queuing behind people who don’t need them,
while abandoning those who truly do has caused me so much grief and
discomfort.
While it is not in my place or that of anyone to conclude that Abba
Kyari is indeed guilty as charged, I think the information in the
public space has sufficient merit to warrant a proper investigation to
unravel the role played by all the identified suspects and the
indicted security agencies. This is what will uphold our integrity as
a nation or shatter it.
Abdulrazaq O Hamzat is a human rights ambassador and executive
director of Foundation for Peace Professionals. He can be reached at
[email protected]
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