Impolitic and indiscrete

The journey was in continuation of the efforts by the federal government towards forging a strong alliance with Nigeria’s neighbours against terrorism. An otherwise positive bilateral move was marred by the fact that the president made the trip in company of Alhaji Ali Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State. Most Nigerians were unaware of […]

The journey was in continuation of the efforts by the federal government towards forging a strong alliance with Nigeria’s neighbours against terrorism. An otherwise positive bilateral move was marred by the fact that the president made the trip in company of Alhaji Ali Sheriff, a former governor of Borno State. Most Nigerians were unaware of the trip, and were thus naturally shocked when pictures of the meeting released by the Presidency showed Jonathan and Deby with Sheriff sharing what appeared to be banter. The episode is deeply controversial because, according to the Directorate of State Security Services, Sheriff is under investigation after an Australian Dr Steven Davis, a former negotiator with Boko on behalf of the government, accused him of being a sponsor of the insurgents.
Beyond other considerations, the presence of Sheriff at that meeting presents serious misgivings regarding Jonathan’s judgement, for the simple fact that he was not even on the official presidential entourage for the trip. According to the Presidential Spokesman, Reuben Abati, the entourage comprised the National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki, Minister of Communication Technology Omobola Johnson, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Nurudeen Mohammed and Director General of the National Space Research and Development Agency Sheidu Mohammed. The fact that the incumbent governors of the three states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe, directly affected by the insurgency and have been under a crippling state of emergency for the past three years were excluded from the entourage, speaks to the incongruity of Sheriff’s presence.    
This is not just another opportunity for the government to spew its worn-out statements of blaming the opposition for the dust that the president’s indiscretion has raised, because clearly it smacks of insensitivity vis-à-vis the mood of the nation.  There is of course no definitive evidence yet to support Davis’ claims, but the fact that they were even made at all, and a government investigative agency has announced it is looking into them, should have persuaded the president to act with greater circumspection. Given the quantum of damage that Boko Haram has inflicted on the nation in terms of losses in limbs, life and treasure, hardly can any allegation be more profound than an association with the group, regardless of how tenuous it may be on the surface.
The president obviously owes Nigerians an explanation.
Dr Davis’ allegations also named former Chief of Army Staff General Azubike Ihejirika as a major sponsor of the Boko Haram sect. In the light of this, the government’s response should have been more robust including debriefing Dr Davis.
Incidentally the SSS statement disclosing that its officers were questioning Sheriff over whatever role he may have played in relation to Boko Haram explicitly exonerated Ihejirika. It follows therefore that if the agency has the intelligence it claims, it found some of Dr Davis’ allegations credible enough to decide who to let off and who to place under surveillance. And because Sheriff happened to be in the latter category should have informed the president to be more sensitive in his choice of entourage to Ndjamena.  The outcome of the SSS probe is yet to be available to public before Sheriff’s dalliance with the president. Even if the allegations are not proven, or the proof not made public, Sheriff would still be ineligible to be part of the president’s delegation at such a high profile public engagement.
Among Nigerians, the attitude of government towards the plethora of allegations and facts associated with the Boko Haram crisis falls short of expectation. That is why there is the unending charge that the government has not shown the required commitment to tackle the menace that the insurgency has proven to be.
The time has come for the government to demonstrate higher level of discretion in its response to the sundry crises in the country, placing emphasis on matching its actions with public expectations.