By Bruce Fein
With
the glitter of fool’s gold, Nigeria’s
recently elected President Muhammadu Buhari arrived in the United States in July uttering
time-worn democracy vows to President Barack Obama and his administration.
Among other things, he pledged at the United States Institute for Peace to
combat graft with procedures that would be “fair,
just, and scrupulously follow due process and the rule of law, as enshrined in
our constitution.”
Skepticism is in order—
a conclusion reinforced by the ongoing persecution of former National Security Advisor Sambo Dasuki for alleged money laundering and
illegal possession of firearms.
But
first some background.
Mr. Buhari initially
tasted power as a military dictator following a coup de tat in 1983. His dictatorship was earmarked by chilling human
rights abuses. Take the word of Nigerian Nobel Prize laureate Wole Soyinka.
Among other things … Mr. Buhari’s draconian edicts, exemplified by
Decree 20 under which the judicial murders of Nigerian citizens Lawal Ojuolape,
Bernard Ogedengbe, and Bartholomew Owoh were authorized. Mr. Obedengbe was
executed for a crime that did not carry the death penalty at the time it was
committed in violation of the universal revulsion of ex post facto laws…
Mr. Buhari turned
the nation into a slave plantation, and forbade the slaves from any discussion
of their enslavement—especially a return to democracy. He favored the
north over the south, dividing rather than unifying Nigeria after
the convulsions of the 1967-70 Biafran War. He lent support to the introduction
of Sharia law in the North—a major source of strife and disharmony.
Mr. Buhari’s brutal military dictatorship was
overthrown in 1985. Mr. Dasuki played
a key role. Dictators do not forget. Fast forward to today.
After celebrating
fairness, due process, and the rule of law last July to win the good will of
the United States, Mr. Buhari returned to Nigeria to
mock all three in a vendetta against the Dasuki, the immediate past National
Security Adviser.
He placed Mr. Dasuki under
house arrest. He confiscated his passport. He charged him with firearms and
money laundering violations. He sought a secret trial to prevent independent
scrutiny.
He opposed Mr. Dasuki’s pretrial application to the
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja for
permission to receive urgent medical treatment for cancer in London, but it was nonetheless granted.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola
explained that an accused is presumed innocent before trial, and that a
citizen’s health is paramount before the law. Mr. Buhari was
ordered to release Mr. Dasuki’s international passport.
Mr. Buhari defied
the order. He put Mr. Dasuki’s house under siege, a microcosm of
the Bosnian Serb siege of Sarajevo. Mr. Dasuki returned
to court. Justice Ademola reaffirmed his order, asserting “My own orders will not be
flouted.”
