The Du Pond: What the Army Should Do

Last Night I deliberately created time to watch the NTA news. Although I ‘m not a politician, I was particularly interested in knowing what has been happening in the National Assembly. Few weeks ago, I saw the National Chairman of APC insisting that the Senate president should either resign or get impeached. Later when the Speaker defected the same threat was repeated. Was it going to be business as usual or there would be some entertainment? Like Ali Nuhu or Mike Tyson, politicians sometimes provide my entertainment after a long day of dealing with students. If they are not playing some drama, they are engaged in fisticuffs; and in any case it is worth watching.

But there was no much entertainment. I was, in fact, impressed by the maturity with which the two chambers resumed their business and I hope they will maintain it. But before the first break, the anchor said after the break one Hamisu Rogo was going to give an update on the search of the missing General Alkali. My curiosity was raised for two reasons. Who is this Rogo? Rogo is a town in Kano state that serves as the headquarters of Rogo Local Government. But like yours sincerely, many people from Rogo also use the name of their hometown as their surname. One of such people was a female student of mine who enrolled for a degree in Electrical Engineering many years ago. She successfully graduated after five years of lectures, laboratories, workshops, field training, tests and examinations. But one thing happened before she graduated. I saw her and she saw me. We discussed and agreed to get married. She is now my wife. So the unknown NTA’s Rogo is naturally my brother-in-law.

The other thing that raised my curiosity is the report. The journalist told his viewers with visual illustrations that the people of Lafendeg have fled their homes. As his camera went round the village, there was no sign of human presence. Although the story of Du pond is now well known, let me recall it.

On September 3 this year, one Major General Idris Alkali who retired earlier in the year as the Director of Administration of the Nigerian Army left Abuja for Bauchi. Two days later when he did not reach his destination his wife raised an alarm which led to a search for him by the Nigerian Army. In the process the Army stumbled on information about the Du pond. As soldiers were about to start searching the pond, half-naked women from the Lafendeg village led by one Mary Yakubu came out to protest against it. Not only did they throw stones on the Army but they tried to disarm them. The Army did not open fire on them and the search began. The Army chief of staff ordered the pond to be emptied into a nearby pond. In the process, Alkali’s vehicle and some of his personal effects were discovered. Also discovered were other vehicles identified to belong to people who mysteriously disappeared over the past few years. 

Now as these discoveries are made, all eyes are on the Nigerian Army to see its next line of action. The Army have said that they are a professional organization which conducts itself according to the best international practices. But let me remind the Nigerian Army that it is the same Army that opened fire on Zaki Biam for killing 19 of its soldiers. It is the same Army that invaded Odi for the same reason. It is also the same Army that opened fire on the vehicle of a former Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University for allegedly overtaking its convoy. They are also the same people that opened fire on Shiites for obstructing the passage of their chief. It is yet the same Army that cut the Gonin gora community to size for killing an Army officer. If they now simply empty the Du Pond, discover the vehicle of their former Director of Administration among other vehicles and leave the Lafendeg community to come back and continue with their atrocities, their image is gone and many assumptions will be made by Nigerians. One, it will confirm the insinuation in some quarters that the Army has different rules for different Nigerians. It may also be assumed that although all Army officers are equal, the equality of officers like General Alkali may not be as equal as that of others.

Not taking any action on the Du community will rubbish Army operations in the North East, the Niger Delta and other crises areas. That the Army has a responsibility to protect the lives and property of all Nigerians is why they are involved in those operations. Now here are a people who have established the culture of killing innocent travellers and dumping them in a particular place. Much like the Shiites they even have the guts of confronting and warning the Nigerian Army against carrying out their legitimate duty of investigating a crime against the state. What the Lafendeg people did is, in fact, worse than what the Shiites did. At least I have not read any report that the Shiites attempted to disarm soldiers in December 2015.

Now that the Du community has deserted their houses, the first thing I advise the Army to do is to level the village and replace it with an Army formation. This may be a barracks or a training school. In addition to serving as a deterrent, the Army presence will provide an additional security to the area.

That is not all. I expect the Army to look for the perpetrators of these crimes and ruthlessly deal with them.  The Army should not take it kindly with anyone who engages in any form of protest against any action it takes on this criminal community. The Army has sworn an oath to defend our nation and we have a duty to advise it.

Nigerian Shiites: Between Evil Wishes and Democracy

Until the coming of Buhari three years ago, the Nigerian Shiites had always had their way. For about three decades they unleashed terror on major cities in Northern Nigeria. In the mosques, they preached what they wanted at their choice time without recourse to any protocol laid down by mosques’ leadership. On the streets, they staged all forms of demonstrations at any time they wanted and molested anyone as they desired and had always gotten away with it save in very few circumstances.

The Shiites took the law into their hands and openly derided the Nigerian state and her law enforcement agents. They had their own President in Zaria who appointed governors in all the states. It was once reported that a Military administrator of a Northern state sent for the Shiite governor of his state and the reply he got was, “who is he to send for me? If he is an Abacha’s governor, I am a Zakzaky governor”. And it ended there. In short, the Shiites were untouchable.

Two factors emboldened the Shiites. One of them was the disposition of world powers to decimate Sunnis and empower Shiites. For example, after September 11 all funds coming from Sunni countries including charity, da’wah, etc. were sanctioned while Iranian money for the promotion of Shiah was allowed to flow to all countries without let or hindrance. Saddam was removed and replaced with a Shiite stooge while Assad, a Nusairi Shiite, was allowed to continue killing and maiming the Syrian Sunni majority. Another factor that emboldened the Shiites is their deep entrenchment into the Nigerian public system. There is hardly a public service outfit in which Shiites are not embedded and reporting to the centre. These Shiites camouflage as Sunnis when it is not safe to disclose their Shiite identity.

With the coming of Buhari, the Shiites were further carried away by his closeness to someone widely believed to be a Shiite. This was celebrated with an article written by their then spokesman Ibrahim Usman and posted on the internet in November 2015. A month later, Ibrahim Usman and his cotravellers were disappointed. The December 2015 Zaria episode is well known. Many blame Mallam Ibrahim Elzakzaky for sending his unarmed followers to obstruct the passage of an Army Chief whose troops have the record of opening fire for reasons as flimsy as overtaking their convoy.

But regardless of who to blame for the Zaria loss of life, the conduct of Nigerian Shiites has drastically changed for the past three years. The public now have a sigh of relief from the excesses of the Shiites. No molestation, no road obstruction, no name-calling. In fact, since that time, if Shiites are having an occasion and they hear the sound of a siren they readily disappear and allow the siren to pass.

Their relationship towards other Muslims has also changed. Their erstwhile attacks on the sensitivities of Sunnis have drastically reduced. For example, they once paid an unsuccessful visit to the famous Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi. They were disappointed to find that even Dariqa scholars whom they thought were passive are fully aware that they were only out for deception. Of course, even before the December 2015 incidence the Shiites have always considered Christians as their brethren and friends. It is pertinent to note that throughout their history, the enemies of Shiites have always been Muslims. They had at various times helped enemies of Islam to fight Islamic states.

In addition to their new tactic of deceiving the Nigerian public that they are not violent, this group has been waging a venomous campaign against President Muhammadu Buhari and his party. They consider PMB responsible for their tragedy and do not hide their evil wishes for the president. During his two long medical trips to the UK, their internet warriors never concealed their joy over the health predicament of the popular president.

Now, the biggest dilemma of Nigerian Shiites is their next political move. What they had been preaching under Elzakzaky is an Islamic state with him as the Head of State. Unfortunately, Mallam Ibrahim Elzakzaky could only deceive his ignorant followers because in Shia creed there is nothing like an Islamic state or Jihad in whatever guise until the reappearance of Mahdi. Mahdi, in Shia mythology is their last Imam hidden in some hole in Iraq and will appear towards the end of time. Until he reappears there is no struggle in whatever form for the establishment of an Islamic state. The idea of an Islamic state is thus only a cover used by Iran through her hirelings to propagate Shia.

When the foundation of their “Islamic state” under Zakzaky was destroyed with the arrest and killing of their leaders and the demolishing of their shrine, these heretics became divided on the next step. Out of frustration, some of them openly started advocating for democracy and even claiming that Elzakzaky instructed them to register and collect voters’ cards. But it is undeniable that until his arrest Mallam Ibrahim Elzakzaky openly condemned the Nigerian political process and preached for the establishment of an Islamic state through a revolution similar to the Iranian one. This is what many of his followers still advocate.

Now that the writing is clear that Buhari has won the primaries of his party and is set to win the next February’s election, the Shiites are further confused because their voters’ cards will be valueless.

Even as the rest of us watch the next move of the Nigerian Shiites, it is wrong to assume that there is a difference between one Shiite faction and another, noting that the idea that Nigerian Shiites should join the political process was first mooted by a Shiite who has not been in the mainstream Elzakzaky-led IMN.

KATSINA PEOPLE NEED JOBS MORE THAN APPOINTMENTS

I have seen a list being circulated in the social media of the Federal Government appointees from Katsina state. This list is prepared to dispel the belief in some quarters that PMB’s home state of Katsina has not benefitted from the many offices he shared since he came to power. This list contains ‘office holders’ ranging from the President’s personal assistant to board chairmen and heads of some agencies.

First, I would like to thank His Excellency the President for these appointments. The people who benefitted would be very useful to the state if they bear in mind that they are representing the interest of their people and work towards making sure that what is due to Katsina is given to her without cheating other states. The sad story, however, is that most appointments under democratic dispensation are obtained as a reward for contributing to political campaigns and in some cases after an intensive follow-ups that allegedly include financial inducements. That is why political appointees are in most cases interested in the contributions they make towards reelecting their principal as that is the surest way to retain their jobs. The people who benefit from them, apart from their immediate family members, are thus party stalwarts and other boot lickers contented with paltry dole outs from such appointees.  But for the teeming responsible population, such appointments are of no use.

 Kowa ya tuna bara bai ji dadin bana ba

A very alarming crisis in Katsina state is the rate at which the population of unemployed youth is growing. We are a polygamous people who procreate at a very fast rate. The number of unemployed graduates and school dropouts continue to grow every day. But I am not aware of any serious initiative by Katsina state government to address this issue. In fact contrary is the case.

Let me remind those who were there and inform the new born about the military era. Since its creation in 1987 up to 1999 when Late ‘Yaradua took over, Katsina state was governed by military officers, one after another, none of whom was an indigene of the state. Despite this, the soldiers created an employment promotion centre which was, among other things, in charge of deliberately looking for places at the Federal level where Katsina state was underrepresented and following to make sure that we filled our quota. Today, there are many senior military officers and Federal civil servants who are what they are because of that centre.

Now the politicians have killed that initiative. Only recently a list of naval recruits was out in which the entire Muslim North was missing save for less than 5%. To the best of my knowledge, neither the Governor of Katsina state nor any of his counterparts has followed to make sure that it is reversed.

Not only are our politicians inactive when it comes to fighting for their youth at the Federal level, even the state civil service is permeated by non indigenes. Despite the teeming Katsina youth graduated yearly by Umaru Musa Yaradua University, other state and Federal institutions, we now have an unbelievable number of non-indigenes teaching nonessential subjects like Business and Intro tech in our secondary schools. This was unknown under the Military. 

My take

Instead of celebrating political appointees, Katsina state government under His Excellency Aminu Masari can help our people by addressing the unemployment crisis in Katsina State. In specific terms he should resurrect the Employment Promotion Centre of the good old days or initiate a similar agency. In addition to placing our youth at Federal level and the private sector, the agency should be supported to carry out other specific job creation duties.

It is very unfair to keep such a large number of non-indigenes giving nonessential service when you have citizens of Katsina who can do better. As a matter of urgency, therefore, I would like to call on His Excellency the Governor to revoke all contract appointments involving non-indigenes and replace the beneficiaries with bona fide Katsina youth.

Buhari 2019 Campaigners: Lying to Sell a Truth

As the campaign for the continuity of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 begin to take shape, observers like me are dismayed at the dimension it is taking.

Let us recall that since Buhari joined partisan politics in 2003 his support base has been the ordinary people, especially those of Northern extraction. Northerners, and indeed Nigerians supported Buhari for a number of reasons. One, he was once a head of state and his no-nonsense leadership style of those days is highly needed now that indiscipline is even more entrenched in our public life. Second, Buhari has never been associated with corruption. This is someone who was a Governor, a minister, a head of state and a PTF chairman and could challenge his political opponent who was a serving president to investigate him from the beginning and never forgive him if found guilty of corruption. Thirdly, my dear, Buhari won the support of Nigerians because of his truthfulness. Buhari is not hypocritical when it comes to issues. For example, in February 2000 Buhari was the lone voice against the false claim that National council of state had decided to suspend Sharia following the Kaduna crisis.

These qualities were all that Buhari needed to get the support of Northerners whose love for justice is due to their religious belief. Even when in 2015 Obasanjo and his friends wanted to unseat Jonathan they did not go for Buhari because he was a nationalist. He, everyone knew, was the only politician who had the massive grassroots support needed to unseat a sitting president. As a matter of fact, it is well known that Buhari was not declared a winner in 2003, 2007 and 2011 due to PDP rigging but not because he lost those elections.

Buhari has now been the president for three years and although there have been some disenchantments, the love Buhari enjoys among his people is still there. What is needed is explanation on why things did not happen as expected. Why, for instance, are the south-westerners said to be the people benefitting more from the programmes of this administration even though the number of votes they gave is nothing compared to what he got from us? Apart from the improvement in power supply (we must give that credit to Buhari) which is benefitted by all Nigerians, what else do Buhari’s people (I mean the people of Katsina state) have to show in terms of development for these three years? Why are Buhari’s people (North-westerners) being killed, day in day out, by bandits and other criminals with no solution in sight from the Government they religiously voted? What is Mr. President doing about the problem of begging in Northern Nigeria? Why is Buhari not even mentioning almajiris when his predecessor who is not a Muslim built schools for them? Many thought that a Buhari regime will improve on those schools and establish more. There are many more questions in need of answers.

As the rest of us are waiting for explanation or at worst a mum, I m particularly disappointed at the kind of things coming from the Government and her social media campaigners. Last week, for example, many newspapers bore various headlines like, ‘Good News: FG Declares Tuition FREE At All Federal Universities In Nigeria’, ‘Beware that tuition fee is now illegal in Federal Universities’, etc. My God! As someone who has been in a Federal University for almost a half of my short life I know that tuition has been free in Federal universities from the beginning. My parents did not pay for me and I m not paying for my children. My students are not paying. Why then present the issue as if tuition fees were being paid and the Government of the day is now banning it? This is exactly the picture given by one of my Facebook pals and I quickly keyed in a comment telling him that tuition has always been free for Nigerians in Federal Universities. Instead of this propaganda what we expect from the Government is an explanation on why this year’s budgetary allocation to Education is one of the lowest. What is the Government doing to improve primary education and make it qualitative and affordable to all Nigerians? Why are our polytechnics and colleges of education no longer attractive and what is the Government doing about it? There is a lot of work to do in the education sector for any Government that is serious.

Of course, not all the lies being spread to sell our beloved president are coming from the Government. A lot of lies are circulated in the social media in the name of campaign for PMB. Last week, after travelling from Kano to Jibia and back, covering a little more than 400 kilometers (note that Jibia is farther from Kano than Katsina) I opened my Facebook account only to see a post being circulated that work on the 250 km Katsina to Kano expressway is now more than 60 %. I was shocked. The distance between the Kano and Katsina ends (Dawanau and Dandagoro) of the road is only about 160 km and of that the work has covered only about 22 km. The level of falsehood in that post is better imagined and it is meant to promote PMB, a man we supported and campaigned for free of charge because of truth and trust.

Sadly, even some of our royal fathers are involved. A case in point is the comment by the Emir of Katsina when Buhari paid him a condolence visit on the death of Liman Lawal last week. The emir was quoted to have said that the killings taking place around the country are sponsored by people who do not want Buhari to continue after 2019. As I read it in the Nation newspaper, I wondered what some of our traditional rulers are up to. In particular, Katsina emirate has been having its own share of banditry even before Buhari came to power in 2015. What explanations does his royal highness have for that? What we expected from the emir is an advice to the President on how to curb banditry particularly in Katsina and the neighbouring Zamfara. After the killing of over 40 travellers in Zamfara three months ago, the emir of Zurmi who is of a lower status openly gave the Government information on the bandits’ location. I thought the emir of Katsina will add to that and insist on action by the Government.

As politicking for various offices continue, I would like to call on PMB to stop the lies as they cannot give what truth has not achieved. Whether he spends four or eight years in office he will one day leave it somehow and eventually stand before his creator who will ask him about his responsibilities as the Nigerian President, especially the primary one of protecting lives and property.