Open Letter to President Muhammadu Buhari

I am compelled to approach you with my evidence-based heart-felt conviction on the subject of GEJ’s possible culpability in the sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria, at a time when it has gained currency in the public domain more than ever before. In addition to being endowed with a favourable disposition in intelligence/security orifice, my immediate […]

I am compelled to approach you with my evidence-based heart-felt conviction on the subject of GEJ’s possible culpability in the sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria, at a time when it has gained currency in the public domain more than ever before. In addition to being endowed with a favourable disposition in intelligence/security orifice, my immediate motivation is hinged on the Daily Trust publication of 18 August 2016, titled “FG Probes Jonathan over N/Delta Bombings” and the ripples it generated via an online news medium, titled “Lawyers Warn Buhari on Probing Jonathan over ND Avengers” These ripples are also documented in the Daily Trust on Sunday of 21st August, 2016.
Though I was initially alarmed by the headline for the lawyers’ comments, after going through their details, I feel there is no cause for alarm. The lawyers who spoke via a legal orifice include Femi Falana (SAN), Prof Auwalu Yadudu, Festus Okoye  and Abeny Mohammed (SAN); all, with a possible exception of one, spoke in a similar vein i.e., they “warned the Federal Government to probe Jonathan only with watertight evidence that he was actually involved” It would be highly desirable for you, Sir, to be circumspect and heed this patriotically inspired caution. I am particularly of the view that His Excellency has already been above board for having already lived within the bounds of the above legal advice, as illustrated by the absence of any formal indictment on the former President throughout all the ongoing probes till date.
The only difference with the issue at hand is that, while corruption in forms of stealing, misappropriation, fraud, favouritism, nepotism, tribalism, religious bigotry, regionalism and extreme political partisanship might be tolerated to a reasonable extent, it would be un-African, inhuman and inhumane – far removed beyond the bounds of conscionable human acts – to play politics with human lives within the bounds of war crimes and crimes against humanity.
I would like to address you as a concerned Nigerian, with citizenship by birth, standing on two pedestals; the intelligence and security orifices. I would speak as one who served at the Headquarters of Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps (HQ NAIC) longer than any Military Intelligence Officer of this generation, working hand-in-hand with eight Directors of Military Intelligence (DMIs) between 1994 and 2011.
With the items of intelligence/security information at the disposal of those who need to know (which should include the C-in-C and his genuine Security Chiefs), the requirement for a watertight evidence, as advocated by the patriotic lawyers, has been satisfied since November 2008; the day that six Nigerian soldiers were jailed for life. Hence, the prosecution of GEJ for terrorism and terrorism related matters in Nigeria is not a matter of ‘IF’ but ‘WHEN’, ‘WHERE’, ‘HOW’ and ‘BY WHOM’. In other words, for as long as the offence of treachery (treason) has no limited timeframe in law, there is no human, whether dead or alive, that possesses what it would require to prevent GEJ from prosecution for his alleged roles in the sponsorship of terrorism in Nigeria.
For the avoidance of doubt, the probing, trial and conviction of former leaders for terrorism and crimes against humanity have ceased to be novelties. Recent examples include: Liberia – Charles Taylor (Ex-President, 2012); Maldives – Mohamed Nasheed (Ex-President, 2015), Ahmed Adeeb (Ex-VP, 2016), Mohamed Nazim (Ex-Defence Minister) and Sheik Imran Abdulla (Head of a leading political party); Iraq – Tariq al-Hashimi (Iraqi VP, 2011); and Chad – Hissene Habre (Ex-President, 2016; after about 25 years of leaving office). It would be instructive to recall, Sir, the principal role that Nigeria played in the case of Charles Taylor.
In view of the foregoing and the pragmatic realities of our situation, it would be difficult to conclude that after over one year in office, your government is not yet conversant with the championing roles of your predecessor in Nigeria. Consequently, the response of your government in this matter would serve as a metric barometer for assessing its performance in one of its tripartite cardinal policies – the national security front – a key to salvation.
Dr M. I. U. Adeka (PhD), Brigadier General (retired), Bradford, UK, Tel: +447423623525, Email: [email protected]