NASS Siege: Activist Calls for Independent Inquiry

NASS Siege: Activist Calls for Independent Inquiry

In view of different reactions that have continued to trail the unprecedented illegality perpetrated by the State Security Service (SSS) at the National Assembly on Monday, August 7, almost plunging our dear nation into tyrannical dictatorship, it is imperative for clarity of thoughts, and pragmatic intervention on the saga.

First, while it is worth the while to commend Acting President Yemi Osinabjo SAN for the prompt response in arresting the apparent drift to anarchy, it is germane to stress that it is not enough to celebrate the sack of Lawal Daura as Director General of the SSS.

Rather, the unfortunate incident not only calls for sober reflection but vigilance as well as the interrogation of the fundamentals of what led to the national embarrassment and desecration of the symbol of our democracy.

It is certainly obvious that there are more questions begging for answers for us as a nation so as to learn lessons from the patent global embarrassment. It is in this regard that there is the urgent need for an independent inquiry into the said attack on our democracy.

Is it in accordance with due process in domestic security and intelligence services for the DG of the SSS to single-handedly direct officers on such a major assignment?

Who and who perfected the deployment with him within and outside the SSS hierarchy?

Is it true that a known senator and former governor in league with some senators and chieftains of a particular party were in the know of the deployment and facilitated the ‘attempted coup’ on the National Assembly with ‘resources?’

Confident that there are answers to these and many other questions which are yet to be answered by the ‘express’ sack of Mr. Daura by the Federal Government, I in conjunction with Egalitarian Mission for Africa, the Organization in which my humble self is the Chairman, Board of Trustees are offering A token sum of $10, 000 USD for credible information in this regard while calling on the international community to weigh in on the Nigerian Government to institute an independent probe of the siege to the NASS for the purpose of investigating and prosecute the perpetrators of this heinous crime of treason.

Membership of the probe should be drawn from civil society, NBA, media and government representatives to unearth those that facilitated the blockade, those who held meetings with the erstwhile boss of the SSS and to what end.

This is important in the face of the attempt to abrogate democracy in some states of the federation like Benue, Ondo, Ekiti by the police without any reprimand from those who should do so.

In the main, it is heartwarming to state that we are already getting volunteer information, which after proper vetting will be made public as well as sent to foreign embassies and labeled enemies of Nigerian democracy.

Thank you.

Dr. Olukayode A. Ajulo
Attorney-at- Law & Chairman, Board of Trustees, Egalitarian Mission for Africa