Lawrence Alobi (rtd) is a security consultant and the former commissioner of police, FCT. In this interview with RUTH CHOJI, he described the recent bombing of the Police Headquarters as an act of terrorism, the lawyer also stated that prompt and decisive actions must be taken when warning signals are received. Excerpts:
Most Nigerians see the recent bombing of the Police Headquarters as a failure on the part of police, what is your take on that?
The incidence of June 16 in the Police Headquarters was very embarrassing and unfortunate. One can say, this was September 11 terrorist attack, it connotes that something is wrong somewhere, it shows that our security network is not strong. Security issues are not just for the police, all the security network are supposed to gather intelligence, analyze and work on them. With the way it is now, it appears there is no synergy between the security agencies; the SSS have the primary purpose of gathering intelligence, the police also have intelligence units, and if all of these units come together, they will be able to gather all they have analyzed and come up with something.
Are you now blaming the police for what happened in their headquarters?
Not the police per se, but even when other agencies collect intelligence, they pass them on to the police to take action; if it is a threat to security, all the security intelligence agencies are supposed to have a central intelligence network, where they can collect and analyze. In this country, we don’t seem to react to warning signals, when we see things happening, we sweep them under the carpet, we don’t respond to warning signals, like the bomb blast at Mogadishu Barracks and the one near the Eag he square during our 50 the anniversary.
When these people issue a threat, government should analyse them, in crises management, you have to anticipate crises to manage them, you don’t allow them to snow ball into something serious before you react, these people are not spirits, they are human beings and they live among us, I believe the security of this country does not rest on the government alone but on every Nigerian. Section 14 b of the 1999 constitution states that the primary purpose of government is the security and well being of the citizens, Nigerians who participate in this thing are supposed to help Nigerians keep law and security, this is not the time to trade blames, everybody from traditional rulers, religious leaders to ordinary Nigerians on the street must participate in the security of this country, the security agencies must work together in synergy because there seems to be a kind of unhealthy rivalry, but what we need is collaboration not competition.
Many people have called on the President to sack the IG or the IG should resign, do you share that sentiment?
They are blaming the IG because he is the IG, but there are also other security chiefs and the IG cannot be everywhere, other chiefs have the strategic duties to contribute to the wellbeing of this country, it is not time for blaming anybody but for action, I see the issue of religion as a smokescreen, but I see the problem as bad governance and corruption.
The problem is ignorance on the part of our leaders. What is leadership? Leadership is the ability to empower people, now the masses have not been empowered by their leaders, it means to empower people to be productive to themselves, when an individual has been empowered, he becomes useful to the whole society, when you are ignorant, you are prone to manipulation, but when you are inform, you take more rational decisions. But now there is prejudice in the land. We are all Nigerians and should work for the betterment of us all.
The joy of one is the joy of all and the sadness of one should be the sadness of all. Not like some of our leaders who amass wealth at the expense of the people, the people see the way the rich spend money when there are so many that cannot afford three square meals a day. People now interpret religion to suit their selfish interest, Saudauna and Ahmadu bello fought for the peace of this country, even our national pledge says, ‘I pledge to Nigeria my country, to be faithful, loyal and honest”, every Nigeria is supposed to serve this country with all his strength, nobody should think of dividing Nigeria. So the issue of sacking the IG or not should not arise, when the President wanted to appoint him, he didn’t call anybody to consult, so Nigerians should stop wiping unnecessary sentiments.
What is your take on Boko haram and their operations?
The masses in the north are feeling that their leaders have not given them what they deserve after years of independence, it is like in the Niger Delta when the militants felt that their resources have been taken for years with little or no commensurate impact in their lives. They have been neglected and impoverished, life was created for service, and everything on earth was created for service, leadership is created for service, our people must be able to provide for their people with the need.
That way, the people will be useful to themselves and the society, I want to enjoin leaders to talk to their people, to preach love to their people, we cannot use armoured tanks or force, we need what I call emotional intelligence, I learnt it in my policing career, it is knowing why the other person is doing what he is doing, we have ignored that aspect of crises management and it is a process of intelligence, scientists have proven that the system of government in the country determines their security we started our policing in colonial system, and unconsiously the police have imbibed that confrontational, brutal approach. You remember how our freedom fighters were arrested, thrown to jail, the military too came in and started like that, that is why we had things like degree 2, degree 4, all this has distanced police from the people, so the people see them as agents of government, that is why today the book haram are attacking the security agents because they feel they are from the government.
The security agencies should adhere to what the president said that all segments of the society should imbibe democratic cultures and norm. I will advise all security agencies to please adopt democratic policing, the authorities should enlighten the police on democratic policing.