From Fred Itua and Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Senate and the military authorities have clashed over recent proscription of activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by South East governors and its designation as a terrorist organisation by the military.
While President of the Senate, Bukola Saraki, in a statement he personally signed, yesterday, said the proscription and designation as terrorist outfit did not follow due process, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai, disagreed, saying the military only carried out one of its constitutional responsibility.
Five South East governors, last week, after a meeting in Enugu, announced an indefinite ban on activities of IPOB in the zone. The governors told leaders of the group to communicate their grievances through elected representatives.
Similarly, the military, last week, announced the categorisation of IPOB as a terrorist organisation and also warned that anyone found associating with it would henceforth be treated as a terrorist.
Saraki, in the statement, called on the relevant authorities to follow due process spelt out by law in declaring IPOB a terrorist group.
Saraki said: “I also wish to state that the announcement of the proscription of the group known as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by Governors of the South-East states and the categorisation of the group as a terrorist organisation by the Nigerian military are unconstitutional and does not follow due process.
“Our laws make clear provisions for taking such actions and without the due process being followed, such declaration cannot have effect. I am sure the president will do the needful by initiating the right process. This will go a long way in demonstrating to the world at large that we are a country that operates by laid down process under every circumstance. So, those who have been hammering on this point should maintain their cool.”
Saraki said the Senate would investigate the crisis in the region when it reconvenes next week to enable the Red Chamber separate facts from fiction.
The senate president also warned against transfer of responsibilities constitutionally reserved for the Police to the military.
“It is my view that we should not over-stretch the military. We need to protect our military against dissipation of their fighting strength. And this means we need to strengthen the police and equip them with the capacity to deal with civil crisis. That is why we, in the National Assembly, are already reviewing the Police Act and also looking at the possibility of enabling other para-military agencies to help in curbing civil unrest and maintenance of law and order.
“I want to also make it clear that the National Assembly intends to embark on a fact-finding investigation aimed at determining what actually happened during the period of the military exercise in the South-East. We want to be able to sift the facts from the fiction and determine who did what. It is quite clear that all the facts are not yet known. We assure Nigerians that there will be no cover up. We intend to lay the facts bare.
“Our brothers and sisters in the South East, in particular, should continue to maintain peace and tranquility and go about their lawful business. This crisis will not benefit anybody but would only expose innocent people to unwarranted danger.
“At this point, Nigerians outside the South East who have worked to ensure that the crisis does not spread to other parts of the country deserve our commendation. I, therefore, call for continued efforts to sustain peace, unity and stability in all our communities so as to ensure that all residents, no matter their religion, tribe and creed remain protected and safe under the law.
“It is also important that commentators and purveyors of information on all media platforms should be conscious of the need, at all times, to maintain the unity of the country. Therefore, they must refrain from circulating information that has the potential for aggravating the crisis.
“We should all realize, as individuals and as a collective, that Nigeria is all we have and it is in our individual and collective interests that we do not stoke the fire of crisis and fan the ember of discord through the message we are spreading. We must all protect and strengthen our country rather than contributing to her collapse and disintegration.
“We must commend the military for their efforts in restoring peace to different parts of the country and sustaining the unity of the country. However, in the face of provocation, the military should allow themselves to be guided by their training, which emphasizes respect for human rights, even in war. Also, giving the nature of this particular situation, the military has every reason to be hesitant in the use of force.
“On a long term, we want to remind Nigerians that the reason for embarking on constitution review by the National Assembly was to enable us look into issues that are agitating the minds of Nigerians and creating tension among us. We have promised that the exercise would be continuous. We intend to keep that promise by further taking decisions that would strengthen and improve on our structures.
“The Eighth National Assembly, on resumption, will play its constitutional role by addressing all those issues that are agitating the minds of our people and over which they feel so strong. I appeal to all our people to always direct their grievances to the right channels.
“Let me further reiterate the need for all leaders of thought – political, religious and traditional – to continue to engage with our people on the need to maintain peace and be our brothers’ keepers,” Saraki said.
However, speaking with journalists at the ongoing COAS second and third quarterly conference in Abuja, Buratai denied that the military was under pressure when it declared IPOB a militant and terrorists organisation.
He said the Nigerian Army being a product of the democratic governance only carried out one of its constitutional responsibility.
Howver, he noted that the Federal Government would take a final decision on whether or not the IPOB was a terrorists outfit or not.
“We’re doing what the constitution has provided constitutionally for us and our responsibilities. We’re not under any pressure whatsoever. There are several provisions that give us those responsibilities and also to carry out such task as duly assigned by the government or by the constituted authority. Be rest assured that we don’t have any other role that is outside the constitution.”
On the declaration of the IPOB as a terrorists organisation, Buratai, said: “There are guidelines as provided in the Terrorism Act and I am sure the relevant government agencies will take appropriate steps whether to arrest or to take any other actions and we will receive the appropriate directives from the authorities.”
But some lawmakers who spoke to Daily Sun backed Saraki.
Chairman of South East Senate Caucus, Eyinnaya Abaribe, told Daily Sun that the position advocated by Saraki was the position of Igbo lawmakers.
He said the investigation by the Senate will unearth what went wrong with the operation in the South East and enable the lawmakers take a firm position on the issue.
Bukar Abba Ibrahim who represents Yobe East Senatorial District also aligned himself with the position of Saraki.
“We need to conduct an investigation and see what went wrong. I fully align with the position of the Senate President. When we resume, the investigation will commence and we will be able to decide what to do next,” he said.
When contacted, Senator Kabiru Marafa from Zamfara State, North West, told Daily Sun on phone that he was currently out of the country and could therefore not take a position on the issue.
Senators Clifford Ordia from the South South, Adeola Adeleke from the South West and Dino Melaye from North Central, could not be reached for comments, as series of phone calls to their mobile numbers were not answered.
The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) had last Friday, declared IPOB as a militant and terrorists organisation and called on parents, unsuspecting parents not to allow their children to be brainwashed into joining the organization.
Director, Defence Information, Major-General John Enenche, in a statement issued, reiterated the determination of the armed forces to deal with all security challenges even as it assured Nigerians of adequate protection of lives and property.
Meanwhile, military has commenced gradual withdrawal of its men stationed at various checkpoints in Aba after the recent clash with protesting members of IPOB.
The five military checkpoints mounted on the busy Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway had been reduced to three. Activities are gradually returning to normal in Aba after the clashes between the military and IPOB members.
Markets have re-opened after the five-day dusk to dawn curfew imposed on the city by the governor.
…Yakasai, Ngige, Ozekhome, Ikeji, Igbinedion react
By Chinelo Obogo and Chukwudi Nweje
Eminent Nigerians, including including Emeka Ngige, Chief Mike Ozekhome, Ikechukwu Ikeji, Tanko Yakasai and Dele Igbinedion, yesterday, reacted to the statement by Senate President, Bukola Saraki on the proscription of IPOB by the South East Governors Forum and the classification of the group as a terrorist organisation by the military.
In separate telephone interviews, Ngige and Ikeji disagreed on the matter. While Ngige said Saraki only spoke for himself and not for the Senate, Ikeji noted that Saraki was right in taking a stand on the matter.
According to Ngige, “Senator Saraki was only expressing his personal opinion as Bukola Saraki and not a position taken by the Senate when he said that the South East Governors Forum were wrong to ban IPOB’s activities. We must understand that what they banned was IPOB’s activities and not IPOB. He has the right under the law to express his personal opinion.”
Ikeji, however, commended him for taking a stand on the matter, whether it was a personal opinion or not. He also berated the military for categorising IPOB as a terrorist organisation and noted that the issue of whether IPOB is a terrorist organisation was settled when Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court dismissed the terrorism charges filed against IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
While backing Saraki, Chief Ozekhome noted:
“The Terrorism Prevention Act provides that only a judge based on an application by the Attorney-General of the Federation, the National Security Adviser or the Inspector General of Police on the approval of the President can so declare but this not the situation at hand, so, therefore the declaration is unlawful, illegal and unconstitutional.”
In his own opinion, Igbinedion commended the senate president, who he said should have proceeded to unequivocally condemn the reported wanton killings, torture and degrading treatment meted out to unarmed civilians.
Elderstatesman, Tanko Yakassai also argued that Saraki’s statement should be regarded as the official position of the Senate.
“He is the president of the legislative body, so for him to have issued a statement when the Senate is not in session is an indication that he knows the law and he knows what he is talking about. In the aspect of saying that the army does not have the constitutional powers to call IPOB a terrorist organisation, it is clear that the military may not have followed the proper conventions and rules of engagement and that is why Saraki is insisting that the proper process should be followed. So, I support his position that the proper procedure should be followed because we are in a democracy,” Yakassai said.
Yoruba soio-political organisation, Afenifere also faulted the military for describing IPOB as a terrorist group.