22-MAN PROBE COMMITTEE: A HOG WASH

In a couple of weeks the 22-man committee set up by President Jonathan in the after math of the election violence that rocked parts of the North should be handing in its report. I had before now refrained from commenting about this committee for the simple fact that even though I had serious reservations, I wanted to see what it was going to thread a different path from what I expected.

Before going any further, I must commend GEJ for giving the families of the NYSC members killed in Bauchi N5 Million each. If memory serves me right, this is be the first time the Federal Government has compensate families of victims on such a scale. Five million naira cannot bring back those that have been killed but it a sort of recognition for their loss. But should that be the end of the matter? Certainly not.

The post election violence in parts of the North is one of the many countless acts of violence that have been carried out against innocent people by Muslim Jihadists in the North. I have deliberately used this term to distinguish between the law abiding and tolerant Muslim Northerners and the Jihadists who will use any excuse to wreak havoc. Plateau, Kaduna, Kano, Bauchi, Borno it has been the same story of mindless destruction and murder over the past 30 years. These dastardly acts have persisted for one reason only; the perpetuators know they will always go scot free and will never be brought to book. Even if they are arrested they know they will only get a slap on the wrist and let go to go do it all over again

The 22-man probe panel is nothing but an attempt by the usual suspects to muddy the water and confuse issues. No matter how well the President means, I can confidently say he has been blindsided. It is either this or the President is simply playing on the intelligence of Nigerians but everything I have seen and heard tells me it is more of the former.

When CAN Chairman in the 19 Northern states, Archbishop Peter Jatau and the secretary, Elder Saidu Dogo, kicked against the appointment of Sheik Ahmed Lemu as the chairman of the committee, some Nigerians condemned them. But what such Nigerians fail to note is that the Northern Christians have borne the brunt of the mindless carnage by the Northern Jihadists. So perhaps the rest of Nigerians should sit up and take notice when they talk.

My criticism of the committee goes beyond its chairmanship. In my opinion it is nothing but an attempt by certain interested parties at the Presidency to pull the wool over our eyes.

Let’s look at the terms of reference of the panel. They have been asked amongst other to:

“ investigate the immediate and remote cause(s) of the pre-election violence in Akwa Ibom State as well as the tide of unrest in some states of the Federation following the Presidential election and make appropriate recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence”

The above is a classic case of subterfuge! Somebody somewhere does not want the truth to come out. Last time I checked Obinna Okpokiri and the other NYSC members were not killed in Akwa Ibom state. People did not go out killing and burning down places of worship in Akwa Ibom when it was clear General Buhari was losing the elections. Over 800 people were killed in the Northern states of Bauchi, Katsina, kano, Kaduna and Adamawa and yet the terms of reference does not even mention these states? Anyone not familiar with the crisis can be forgiven for thinking Akwa Ibom was the epicenter of the violence!

The composition of the panel is questionable. Why was a real judge not selected to head this panel? Why choose a Grand Khadi to chair a panel to investigate killings carried out predominantly by Islamic fundamentalists? Sheik Ahmed Lemu is one of the figures who promoted Sharia in the North. He also fought strenuously against the return of schools to Christian missionaries in parts of the North but saw nothing wrong in lobbying GEJ, as the co founder of Islamic Education Trust (IET), to build over 100 Almajiri schools for street urchins in Northern Nigeria. Can such a man carry out his duty without bias? I think not. It is very possible that Shiekh Lemu is an intelligent man but he has not got the intellectual capacity, exposure and experience of a Justice Uwaifo who was made the vice chairman.

Rev Fr Idowu is viewed with deep suspicion by many Northern Christians. The Kogi born man it will be recalled was one of those who defended Sani Ahmed Yerima when he introduced Sharia in Zamfara state. A Christian Reverend supporting the introduction of Sharia can be likened to a pig encouraging people to eat bacon. It just does not add up…well except for those who wanted a pliable Christian priest.

The 22-man panel, if we must have one, as set up is a waste of time and mark my words; nothing tangible will come out of it. It was a wasted opportunity as it provided an opportunity for the Govt to address the perennial problem of violence in the North. The sittings should have been made public similarly to that of the Oputa panel. Given the level of distrust amongst Northern and Muslims and Christians, the government should have been more circumspect in selecting members, the government could also have invited a representative from a credible international agency as an observer.

It has been argued by some that setting up a panel was unnecessary, the police have arrested hundreds of people they are claim are responsible for the carnage, what I would have expected is for the government to ensure they are prosecuted. Instead what we are seeing is the same lackadaisical approach by the police, people have been charged to magistrate court and some in Niger state have been granted bail even though they were accused of setting off bombs that killed people. I have no shred of confidence in the whole process. There is no hope that the killers who brutally snuffed out the lives of many innocent people will ever be brought to book. As has been said by a friend, Justice in Nigeria in these times and circumstances will hide behind the mask of probes and files and white paper and red tape.

Like I have asked before, the President must reassure Nigerians that those who killed Obinna Okpokiri will be found and brought to trial, those who went to the house of Mr. Anthony Eburu and burnt his 3 children to death in Katsina must be fished out. Mr. Jack G. Gumpy had 10 members of his family burnt to death in Gombe by mindless killers. These killers must be found and locked away from humanity and not shielded from prosecution.

Written by Patrick Okene, ppokene@gmail.com.