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.”
An indication that the honeymoon of Buhari and America has come under serious threat.
ReplyDeleteAfter all the lies they told against the US after the US tour.
ReplyDeleteFellows, who is Bruce Fein? How well did you guys know him to believe this lopsided story. The honeymoon between the US and Nigeria ended when President Buhari refused to permit the passage of American Gay laws which his predecessor, President Goodluck Jonathan, also rejected.
ReplyDeleteGuys, we need to wake up from slumber before another terrible blow is inflicted on our country in the name of warps and absurd democracy. Wake up my brothers and sisters.
Mr. Fein is not telling anyone in Nigeria what they do not already know. The handling Mr. Dasuki's matter has been largely crude and put-offish. No matter what the man was alleged to have done, why not follow the rule of law and due process? Why not handle his case a bit more decently. Why make it appear you are on a vendetta mission? Okay look at the case of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu? How many Igbos listen to his radio and buy his views on Biafra and self determination? But Buhari has suddenly turned him into a hero of many by the untidy manner his arrest, arraignment and continued incarceration has been conducted. That's the problem. So, Buhari does not deserve my sympathy.
DeleteShouldn't Buhari have known what to expect from America? When he was swearing in America's names and lying to Nigerians about info America never gave him, was it not aware he was playing into their hands. No free lunch from the US
ReplyDeleteThe trouble is that there is trouble. APC is a great failure and great deceiver; obtained votes by lies and half-truths and empty promises
ReplyDelete