It’s more than a week now, and the story surrounding the murder of three members of the Inspector General of Police’s elite Intelligence Response Team, IRT, and, three civilian Police informants has refused to go down. It has continued to be on the front-burner. And, has continued to make front page news in Newspapers. Everyday, versions more scandalous than the other emerge .Each, exposing the rot in our security system. Each revealing why the war on kidnapping, banditry, cattle rustling, murderous herdsmen, Boko Haram, ISIS, will never end. Each revealing why the trillions of Naira spent on the war to secure our country is like pouring water into a basket.
Each confirming we have saboteurs within. Each, confirming what discerning Nigerians have always suspected, which is: The war against insecurity has become big business; that a number of our security agents have become the Biblical Judas Iscariot; that this war will never end because it has made millionaires of a number of those who should fight the enemies, and protect us and their fatherland. Indeed, the story shouldn’t go away. It holds the prize for the most scandalous story of the year – worldwide. It is the shame of a country. And, the most bewildering: Nothing has happened. Except for the usual rhetorics and noise-making, and the disgraceful exchange of words, and the more disgraceful shifting of blames, nothing has happened.
Nobody has apologised. Nobody is remorseful. Nobody has even thought it important to explain to Nigerians what truly happened. Nigerians are fed with all kinds of stories, all kinds of versions; none making any sense; none exposing the rot that has become us. The government is not outraged enough to set the ball rolling. Nobody is outraged enough to ask people to resign.
In more civilized countries, heads would have since rolled. A couple of people would have resigned from office, or forced to resign. But here, everybody is sitting tight. It is business as usual. How did we descend to this level? How did those who should ward off enemies for us become our enemies? How did we become the laughing stock of the world.
Following is what Nigerians have been able to piece together.
In Taraba state, a young man who goes by the name Hamisu Wadume has been, excuse this cliche, a thorn in the flesh of the Nigeria Police Force. Rich. Smart. Generous. A man of the people, who even wanted to represent them in the House of Representatives. A good mixer, he knew how to get around. In this era of extreme insecurity in the country, he knew how to protect himself. Being from Taraba, a state which is as insecure as they come, he befriended the security personnel sent to protect the state, sent to ward off bandits and kidnappers and Boko Haram and ISIS.
Cashing in on the vulnerable situation of the security agents – poor allowances, war-weary, he decided to spoil them with gifts. Cash. Cars. Everything. The snag? He is a criminal of the worst order. A bandit. A kidnapper. And the Security Agents knew. For cash and more, they, allegedly, gave him information. They offered him protection. They sourced for victims for him. And each time the hands of the law were near, they asked him to disappear.
He had been responsible for many criminal activities. So, the police authorities decided to track him. For months they were after him. This other day, they got credible information on his whereabouts. And, sent some of their best, all the way from Abuja, with a few others from Taraba, to go and arrest him.
Mission accomplished. Target in the bag. Secured with handcuffs and leg chains, they were happy. But, on their way back to Jalingo, soldiers at the checkpoint, who they had, also, allegedly, seen and greeted on their way to arrest their target, turned their foes. They went after them, and opened fire on them. By the time the smoke cleared, three of the policemen were murdered in a very horrendous manner. And so were three civilians who, till now, have remained anonymous. Both the Army and the Police have treated their memories with disrespect. To them, the civilians don’t exist.
Since this shocking incident, the Army has refused to accept guilt. They claim the Policemen did not identify themselves, a claim the Police vehemently deny, and which was confirmed by the video that went viral on social media. I watched that video once, and have refused to watch it again. It made me sick.
I knew those three IRT operatives personally. Just as I knew DCP Umar who was gunned down in Abuja during the recent Police/Shiite clash. I remember the glitter and pride in Umar’s eyes the day he was decorated a DCP by DIG Ntomchukwu, now retired. He was a professional and, he loved his family. Those three IRT operatives were some of the best in the NPF. The IRT, led by DCP Kyari are the pride of the Police. They dare where others fear to dare.
I remember the day they, including those three, now murdered, arrested the alleged notorious kidnapper, Evans, in the Magodo area of Lagos. For their bravery, they were all promoted to their next ranks. They had, thereafter, undertaken, successfully, other sensitive assignments.
Now, they are gone, in a most callous manner, in a country where human life is cheaper than that of a fowl. As, I write this, more than a week after, nobody can confirm that anybody has been arrested for the heinous crime. It has been guess work. Nobody has told us the whereabouts of the alleged kidnap kingpin.
The Police, speaking through the Force PRO, DCP Frank Mba, asked the relevant questions. Where is the alleged Kidnapper? How was he able to escape in handcuffs and leg chains? The soldiers claim they got a distress call informing them that somebody had been kidnapped, and needed to be rescued. Who was the informant? What’s the phone number? Kidnappers tie their victims with ropes or clothes, not with handcuffs and leg chains. So, the soldiers cannot claim ignorance.
It is embarrassing that more than a week after, we don’t have more facts on this sordid incident, an incident which has made a ridicule of Nigeria before the civilized world.
Unconfirmed reports say an Army Captain and about 25 military and police personnel have been arrested for, allegedly, working with Wadume. If true, the Joint Investigation Committee set up by the Defence Headquarters should name and shame them. They should be exposed for the criminals that they are. Truth is: The soldiers who murdered the three policemen and three civilians were not unknown soldiers. They are known. So, it cannot be difficult to identify them.
Another truth is that there is no doubt that some soldiers and policemen are in connivance with criminals to wreak havoc on Nigerians.
The suspicion has always been there. Now, it has been confirmed. Confirmed, also, is the allegation by former Chief of Army Staff and former Minister for Defence. Lt. General T.Y. Danjuma that some military personnel may not be innocent of a connivance with criminal elements in Taraba.
Now, the ‘sh.t’ has hit the fan. Still, the Military can redeem its image by doing two things. First, name and shame those involved in the Taraba shame. And, two, let heads roll. This shame is too difficult to treat as a passing shower.
It’s more than a week now, and the story surrounding the murder of three members of the Inspector General of Police’s elite Intelligence Response Team, IRT, and, three civilian Police informants has refused to go down. The Commander-in-Chief should help the Military to redeem itself. Let heads roll.
*Obi is the Editor-in-Chief/CEO of The Source (Magazine), https://thesourceng.com. Email: comfortobisource@gmail.com, comfort@thesourceng.com
