Bankole’s overzealous security aides

The current speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole, is one public figure I have high regard for, as a result of his sterling legislative qualities and youthful look. As a special adviser on media and publicity to an member of the Reps, my practical experience of the overzealous nature of […]

The current speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Dimeji Bankole, is one public figure I have high regard for, as a result of his sterling legislative qualities and youthful look.

As a special adviser on media and publicity to an member of the Reps, my practical experience of the overzealous nature of Bankole’s security aides was some months ago at the vicinity of the House of Representatives new wing. A young lady wanted to talk to the speaker when he disembarked from his official vehicle. One of the overzealous policemen immediately started harassing the lady and the speaker eventually turned back to see what was happening. He asked the lady what was happening, and the lady said, she wanted to talk to him, but the policeman started harassing her. Bankole responded by cautioning the policeman.

Many positive impressions were created in the minds of onlookers at the Reps lobby. My interest further developed on the speaker. I never, by any stretch of imagination thought that I was going to, one day, be a victim of the same overzealous attitude of some men of Bankole’s security force.

It was on August 5, at about 4:15pm. My boss’s asked me to accompany him to the speaker’s Asokoro residence for a meeting. We got to Asokoro without meeting the speaker. I then advised my boss to let us drive down to the National Assembly Complex, to see if we would be fortunate to meet him there. We passed through the villa gate, getting to the EFCC detention Camp at the Villa. My boss’s driver sited Bankole’s black Range  Rover Jeep and alerted my boss. We suddenly turned and followed the convoy. Knowing what security is all about, I advised the driver not to follow the convoy closely, which he heeded to. We safely arrived at Bankole’s Asokoro Residence. Immediately we entered, my boss went to Bankole and they exchange banters without any bitterness and annoyance from Bankole.

The next thing I saw was one of the speaker’s plain cloth security details warning our driver. When I observed that the aide was undemocratic in his approach, I went closer to inquire about what was happening. One of the aides openly said “wallahi Tanllahi”, you guys are very lucky, I would have fired shots at  you. I then said to him, don’t you know that we are one, afterall an honourable member is an honourable member whether principal officer or not?

He then answered me by saying, what are you trying to say. Honestly, I would have finished your car. At that juncture, my boss intervened. Despite that the security aide continued with his excesses. I respected my boss intervention and entered the car. Therefore, other security aides joined their over-bearing colleague and started raining curses on me. Realizing the dangers that might befall me, the driver locked the car. Still, they continued. When they could not gain access to me through the front door, they used the back door where my boss was already seated and hold my neck.

If this could happen to me as a special adviser to a colleague of the speaker, what then can befall an ordinary Nigerian on the street?

Salihu Dantata Mahmud is of the National Assembly. E-mail: [email protected]