Hon. Jim Adun, a retired Group Captain of the Air force, represents Eger Ikpoba Okha Federal Constituency of Edo State. In this restricted interview with journalists, including LEADERSHIP’S RUTH CHOJI, in Abuja, he sheds light on the role of the military in internal security and on other topical issues. Excerpts:?
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Nigeria has participated in peace keeping operations in other nations with lots of credit, but at home they are being discredited in their effort to contain crises in violent states. What has gone wrong?
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We don’t put our priority right. There is a difference in keeping peace outside and what we do here at home. Internal security goes in every mode, the police have their own and the military their methods. I am happy that Mr. President gave the chief of army staff the mandate to ensure peace at all cost in places like Jos and Maiduguri. If you look at the act that set up the army, it is to defend against external aggression, not within; so what is happening now is a new set up. But that is not enough to let us lose faith in the military.?
There is what we call operational order where you have to assess your situation before you act. I am member of the defense committee; there is a need for us to appraise ourselves. Before, what concerned us is the external threats. That is what brings you to armament and other things; this threat analysis is varied. We use to have our threat analysis in West African region. So we did things to match that threat analysis. There was a time the air force was cited in Maiduguri; we need to sit and select the target.
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The military are being accused of being partisan especially in the Jos and Maiduguri crises. What is your take on that?
You don’t base your argument on accusation. The military works with target, the military cannot kill just like that. The military picks out ring leader in a crisis and addresses him using the loud speaker. If he doesn’t listen then you are to maim the person and in the course of that, if he dies, then that is it.
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But with the way the military is being drafted to quell civilian issues, don’t you think this act has been demystifying the military in the eyes of the people?
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Remember the civil war; it was the police that was told to handle it first. The military were later called in when it became worse. The president is seeing that if the things go beyond the capabilities of the police, they bring in the military because our training is different from theirs and our weapons are different from theirs.
But the soldiers are also complaining that the arms used by the insurgents are more sophisticated than theirs…
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?I just said it that this type of operation we are having today is not what we are used to. I told you that there are different types of threats; this is an internal one, so one has to be very careful. We are Nigerians; this is internal security (IS). In acting you you have consider the factors.
Some few years ago, the Nigerian military was operated purely on professional level. Lately it is beginning to take ethnic and religious coloration, what could have led to this?
I will not entirely agree with you, because we have a quota system. Even the Nigerian Defense Academy is done through quota system; so we must be able to carry everybody along, but that does not mean that the professionalism of the military will be diminished. We all take the same training and pass out of the academy, the military is a mini Nigeria so you have all sort of people inside.
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The Nigerian military takes a lots from the budget, can you say the budget has been justified
You cannot eat your cake and have it back. If we want peace, then we must increase the defense budget; we must pay the price to obtain peace. It is only in peace time that you do lots of training and this entails lots of money. During war time you cannot train; you make mistakes only in peacetime. In war it can be fatal. With what is happening, this is an eye opener; if we don’t take care of those things we lack, we will not have the opportunity again when it is time for war.
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The late Admiral Aikhomu was hailed as a professional and a real solider, what you would say are the achievement he left for Edo and Nigerian s a whole?
Admiral Aikhomu was a hero; he rose through the ranks to the highest rank which is a four star general ?which we have never had. He earned it; he rose to the position of the vice president. He earned it, he didn’t buy it. He was a very forthright Nigeria and detrabilised.?
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For one who was once in the military and now a politician, what is your assessment of Nigerian democracy from 1999 to date??
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Democracy in Nigeria has come of age. In democracy, you have the right to speak and participate. If anybody infringes on your right, you can go to court and the court will hear you and give judgment. In the military you properly could not have seen me; but in democracy you have the right because it is your tax money that provides these things you are sitting on. They say democracy is for the people, by the people and for the people. We are young in democracy and we are still learning. I don’t like this idea of comparing us with developed nations who have been practicing for long. If you remember what they went through, then ours is a child’s play. We have a lot to learn and we are still young. You are elected to ensure that you enact good laws for the people. If any law you enact is anti- people, then you are against them.
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A typical Nigerian enacts good laws for the country but when he comes to his closet, ethnic and religious sentiments set in. This has brought about fears that Jonathan could be the last elected president of a united Nigeria. What is your take on this??
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Never, we have fought for this country. I joined the military during the civil war. I knew what we went through. I will fight to the last anybody who wants to divide this country. This country must remain united at all cost. Blood will be shed like it was done during the civil war. So anybody that is coming up with an illusion to divide this country is just dreaming. In America, they don’t fill a form and state your state. It is either you are an American or not. I just said now that the worst democracy is better than the worst autocracy, so Jonathan is just an individual, Babangida was there, Obasanjo was there, Shagari was there. They have done their path, so it is left for us to do ?our own part. In the Nigerian culture, we are our brothers’ keepers; we must imbibe love and tolerance for each other. If an individual is bad, there are so many ways you can throw him away. The constitution is there.
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Your state governor, Adams Oshomole was once hailed as a messiah that has come to save his people, but lately the same people are beginning to describe him as a dictator, what is happening in Edo State?
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Oshiomole’s government is the best thing that has happened to Edo State. We have successive governors who ruled that state but with nothing to show for it. Benin kingdom came into being centuries ago. Benin City was described as ancient city, potholes everywhere. But within a few years the city has been transformed. People are jittery because the party Oshomole took over from is going into extinction.
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On a lighter note, you have been a widower for long, why haven’t you remarried since your wife passed away
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I lost my wife five years ago; it was very pathetic. You know somebody you have lived with virtually all your life; it is not easy to replace the person. Even before I thought of remarrying, I consulted with my children. They have given me the go ahead. So I will be getting married again in December in Benin City. It is difficult to stay alone in a house without a companion, because no matter what you do, when you come back from work, you need somebody to tell you that’ you are welcome’. You have to discuss with somebody and share your feelings with her.
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How do you relax?
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I jog every morning. I wake up quite early because of my doctrine when I was in the Air force; you could be called upon to take off anytime. I also do my thorough medical checkup every year. I make sure that I cover about ten kilometers every morning and take a lots of fruits every morning.
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