Malam Jibril Tafida a Kaduna-based Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stalwart and businessman- speaks on how Omoyele Sowore’s case, which borders on threat to national security, has been politicised and turned to regional agenda by South-west elites. ABDULRAHEEM AODU brings excerpts.
How would you react to the re-arrest of Sowore by the DSS in court?
Well, it is rather unfortunate that emotions are running high on this matter, especially in the South-west region, where Sowore hails from. What happened at the court was unexpected and needs to be investigated. But I have read so much about what has been happening between the DSS and Sowore and what I have found interesting in the attack against the agency in the media is the way it has been politicized.
I wonder if those attacking the DSS have conveniently forgot that national security is a serious matter. I expected them to reason that the DSS as a secret police could be in possession of intelligence reports about the activities of the suspect, which may make it difficult to allow him go.
What many of us are now asking is the motive behind the #RevolutionNow campaign. Unless we have access to the kind of intelligence that the DSS has, it would be unfair to continue attacking them on the pages of newspapers. I’m in support of judicial independence in any way but the issue of national security should be handled with care.
Secondly, I was surprised how the media attacked against the agency is slowly turning to attack against the person of its Director-General. Instead of dealing with the agency as an institution, they have switched to the intimidation of the DG. What this tells me is that there could be an agenda by some groups against the man.
What is your reaction to those attacking the DSS Director-General?
It is an open secret that the DG is honest to a fault and incorruptible, as widely described by those who know him very well. Secondly, this is a person who rose through the ranks to become the DG: someone who has acquired a lot of experience as the first professional officer to become DG of the agency.
He had headed various departments there before the appointment. He is widely believed to be a gentleman and humble officer. His major strength in relating with people is that he has a record of professionalism, while doing his job very quietly.
Rather security threat, some politicians see the arrest and detention of Sowore as part of 2023 bickering. Do you agree?
I don’t think it is right to say that Sowore’s call for revolution has anything to do with 2023. The leader of #RevolutionNow has a case to answer and he should be allowed to clear his name. Some are alleging that money was wired to Sowore from Dubai to run this campaign and till date neither him nor his supporters have denied this. The question is, who wired the money and for what?
On the other hand, everyone saw what happened at the court. We saw Sowore and his boys harassing DSS personnel in public, while their leader was resisting arrest in the court premises. Anyway, the Attorney-General of the Federation has set up a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. Let us wait for their report before we conclude. Sowore is a citizen like every other Nigerian.
But some argued that the DSS was unwilling to see Sowore freed at all. What is your take on that?
I can’t speak for the agency, but I believe the DSS demonstrated a willingness to respect the court order and even pay him certain amount of money reportedly demanded by the court verdict. Court ordering someone’s release is one thing, re-arresting him to answer questions is another. Resisting arrest is an offence and we must always remember they have the constitutional rights to arrest or re-arrest any Nigerian that the agency believes has a case to answer. Sowore deliberately provoked the DSS personnel to gain cheap publicity.
An online news’ editorial called for the sack of the DG over the incident. What is your take on that?
It is purely a Yoruba agenda,since DSS DG is not their own. If not, why is it politicized and given unnecessary publicity? Don’t forget that Sowore is not the only one in detention. And a committee has been set up to investigate what transpired at the court. Let us not conclude, and allow for the Attorney-General’s final report to be made public.
Meanwhile, every news platform has the right to editorialize on issues. I won’t deny them such a right. But any official position of a newspaper that is obviously written in haste, without considering the pros and cons of an issue becomes questionable. To call for the outright sack of a DG who has no record of disrespect for the rule of law, smacks of unfairness.
The editorial made the DG looked like a habitual offender, which he is not. Anyway I saw views countering those editorials that were calling for the DG’s sack and such views would help tell the world that we don’t just take any piece of news hook line and sinker.
Do you think there is any reason to blame the DG?
It is unnecessary to blame him, considering his antecedents of professionalism and respect for ethical standards. Secondly, there is nowhere in the world a threat to national security could be so highly politicized like we are witnessing right now in Nigeria. To me, it is strange that the South-west political elite, of which Sowore is a member, have launched a massive media campaign against the DG who has, to his credit, a number of beautiful reform policies from the day he assumed duty till date.
At the end of the day, when we set aside the political sentiment of the South-west political elite, we would come face-to-face with the bare truth. We will not just allow mere sentiments from some vocal majority to terminate the career of an incorruptible gentleman.
Have they forgot that many Northerners are still detained by DSS and nobody complained because the law is being allowed to take its full course? Mind you, we love them but that will not make us to forget that law anywhere is law everywhere.
As a PDP member why are you not supporting your party on this matter?
Look, this is not a party matter. We are talking about national security. I’m a democrat, who believes in freedom of speech but in this case, we have to put party politics aside and face the challenges of insecurity facing us today.
There are reports accusing many foreign countries of having a hand in some of the insecurity challenges facing us as Nigerians. We have to work as a family if truly we love Nigeria. Otherwise, the issue has taken another dimension. I don’t think it is necessary to jump into the matter but some politicians, especially from the South-west, see this issue as tribal not national issue. I support that what happened in the court be investigated but I’m against any moves to compromise professionalism for political gains.
