These are not the best of times for the country.?? The spate of bombings for which the Boko Haram Islamist sect has claimed responsibility has set the nation on the edge.
?The fabrics of unity, harmony and corporate co-existence of the country have come under real threat.
The entire security apparatchiks of the federal government have been stretched to their limits.
? President Goodluck Jonathan, as the Chief Security Officer of the nation, has reined in presidential pronouncements on several occasions on the preparedness of government to deal with the menace of the insurgents.
Last year, the sect claimed responsibility for the bombing of the Police Headquarters in Abuja and the United Nations Building in Abuja, killing no fewer than 20 persons and wounding scores of people who were in the building at the time of the incident.
There have been subsequent incidents of bombings in the northern part of the country specifically in Borno, Yobe, Bauchi, Plateau, Kaduna and Niger.
On Friday, January 20, there were reported coordinated bomb explosions in different parts of Kano.
The Police Headquarters in Kano was affected and the casualty figure was said to be high.
It is worrisome that the incident came on the heels of Federal Government’s investigation into the mysterious escape of a Boko Haram suspect, one Kabir Sokoto, who was alleged to have masterminded the Christmas Day bombing of Saint Theresa Catholic Church, Madalla, Niger State, from police custody.
The Inspector General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, who has been working round the clock to contain this notorious sect has also been, understandably, put on the spot; which was why the Presidency, through the Office of the Minister of Police Affairs, has queried him to explain the circumstances of the escape of the suspect.
Ringim, as reported, has replied to the query.
But prior to the reply, he had taken steps to ensure that the fleeing suspect is arrested.
First, he suspended the Commissioner of Police Zakari Biu whose command mismanaged the initial arrest of the suspect thus leading to his escape.
The Police authorities had also announced a N50 million reward for anyone who can facilitate the arrest of the prime suspect.
These are commendable steps by Ringim who is in the eyes of the storm as the numero uno in the nation’s Police Force.
Although the buck stops at his table, he deserves to be fairly treated in the gale of security breaches that have terrorism undertone.
Terrorism of the suicide bombing dimension is novel in the country.
Ringim therefore needs the understanding and support of all Nigerians to track and contain this dangerous trend.
This is why I consider the plethora of reactions and comments in the print media credited to individuals and various organizations over the escape of Sokoto from police custody unfair in form and texture.
This is not the time to isolate Ringim for denigration or even President Goodluck Jonathan either for unnecessary direct attacks or irresponsible innuendoes.
Lagos Lawyer, Femi Falana had, in his reaction to the escape of the suspect, called on President Jonathan to immediately sack the Inspector General of Police, alleging that police authorities might have decided to release the suspect because he had implicated some highly-place Nigerians in his statement.
President of Campaign for Democracy, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin had described the escape of the suspect as a national embarrassment and had consequently harangued the Jonathan government as directionless and incapable of appreciating what the urgency of the moment was.
But some others, including former Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Tsav, had described the escape as a confirmation of President Jonathan’s assertion that Boko Haram members had infiltrated his administration.
It is my view that the escape of a suspect who is under investigation and in police custody has nothing to do with the President or the Inspector General of Police (IGP), particularly where the investigative team is being headed by a Commissioner of Police (CP), who is in the Force Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Command.
This is the correct thing to do.
If the President or the IGP or both have to be involved in the movement of every high profile suspect in a country where there are so many of such high profile suspects, then the President and IGP must be ready to have themselves shared into several units.
But as it is, the IGP had taken the correct step by suspending the CP Biu to allow for proper investigations into the matter and to establish the level or extent of negligence or conspiracy on the part of the CP or other persons.
This again is procedurally correct.
The findings of the investigation team will determine the appropriate punishment to be given to those found culpable.? I believe that the punishment will be severe enough to serve as a deterrent for future offenders in a matter as serious as this.
It is my view that, to drag the President of Nigeria into a matter of this nature and call for the resignation of the IGP is not only hasty but also tends to smack off a premeditated and mischievous agenda.
However, I must hasten to advise that the IGP must expedite action on this matter as soon as investigation is completed to ensure that those found guilty in the escape of the suspect are punished.
This is the arrangement that all right thinking Nigerians should encourage.
It makes a whole lot of sense to allow fairness to preponderate all manner of sentiments, whether ethnic, religious, social, economic or even possibly political.
We all have to encourage Ringim in the cleaning up the rot of possible conspiracy in the burgeoning Boko Haram menace.
Other security agencies deserve the support and prayers of Nigerians to boost their morale and strengthen their hands in the fight to confront and stamp out the menace.
Dr. Okechukwu, a political scientist, is the President of Fledgling National Movement for Equity and Transparency based in Abuja.