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Despite its numerous activities, most of which are top-notch in security operations, many Nigerians still have questions about their successes.
For instance, people query the circumstances that made the agency not to be definite when certain cases are handled by their operatives without any result and at the end it turns out to be either a smoke screen or that the agency is gasping for air to push on.
Like the invitation extended to Ahmed Isah, the owner of Abuja-based Human Rights Radio station, for alledgedly aiding terrorists.
The dust raised after that invitation, plus the one extended to ex-minister of aviation, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode, were yet to settle down when Mr. Bichi authorized the issuance of a press statement that many described as a “below-the-belt” punch.
This was a statement issued by the DSS spokesman, Peter Afunanya, alleging a grand plot to truncate the government, with a view to installing an interim government, which is “an emergency governmental authority set up to manage a political transition generally in the cases of a newly formed state or following the collapse of the previous governing administration.
Provisional governments are generally appointed, and frequently arise either during or after civil or foreign wars.
“Provisional governments maintain power until a new government can be appointed by a regular political process, which is generally an election.”
Immediately the terse statement was issued, the country’s political space seemed covered by a strange cumulus cloud. Political tongues started wagging, intensifying the already tense atmosphere in the country.
A quick analysis of the statement leaves onto wonder if our DSS, which is supposed to be a secret police, would notice the dangerous activities of a group of people planning to storm a particular institution that is under its watch and, surprisingly, all it could do is merely to issue a press statement for publication.
Sceptics would see this as nothing but a ploy to exacerbate the situation. Who in this country does not know that many politicians and their followers are aggrieved over the February 25 presidential election? So, if the DSS was to help in stabilizing the country, one would have expected an earlier move to summon the attention of all the party chieftains and hand over a stern warning before the commencement of the exercise, instead of this belated shout that is waking up everyone when actually they should be unperturbed.
The truth is that, as a secret police, once people are identified as “bad elements” in the society, the Constitution never directed the agency to just monitor their nefarious activities but to immediately pounce on them like a cat would pounce on a rat, by rounding them up for either preliminary investigation or arrest and prosecution, before issuing any official statement.
What the DSS has achieved is providing fuel for the same politicians it claimed to be monitoring to set the polity on fire.
Had the DSS done the needful by rounding up these suspected politicians before issuing their statement, two things would have been achieved.
First, Nigerians would have applauded the operational move. Secondly, such rounding up would have sanitised the country of evil perpetrators.
In fact, Mr. Bichi would have gone down in history as a good agent who saved the country from the evil plans of politicians to truncate and introduce interim government.
Except Mr. Bichi were just stirring the waters to determine the type of fish and other aquatic animals in the water when in reality they have no plan to carry out any operational activities. Such security strategy could boomerang, if not managed, in a heated political atmosphere as in Nigeria.
(Concluded)
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Unfolding police politics in South-East
The South-East, like other geographical zones of the federation, is blessed with many educated, intelligent and professional police officers who have written their names in the annals of the police.
Unfortunately, the politics of the country have permeated the fabric of the foremost security institution, thereby polarizing all of its professional activities.
For example, out of the 21 indigenous Inspectors-General of Police, since its establishment, the North has produced 13 IGPs, the South-West has produced three lGPs, the South-South zone has also produced three lGPs while the South-East zone has produced only two IGPs, including the 13th IGP in the person of Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, whose outstanding performance has continued to warrant ovations to herald his incredible acumen in tackling insecurity.
His performance as the commissioner of police incharge of Lagos State Police Command helped to flush out armed robbers from the state, while his security ideas to stop bank robbery are still operational.
On his appointment as the IGP, he foresaw the need to establish an anti-terrorism squad whose officers were trained in Israel, Britain and other countries.
Painfully, the squad was disbanded by his successor, only for the country to witness the rise and rise of terrorism.
Another IGP appointed from the South-East was Mr. Okechukwu Ogbonnaya Onovo, whose abysmal outing as the IGP grossly affected the police as an institution, including his inability to quell the Boko Haram sect’s activities and upsurge in kidnapping around the country.
Today, a new generation of top police officers from the South-East zone are emerging. Amongs them is John Ogbonnaya Amadi who is the DIG, Department of Research and Planning, Force Headquarters, Abuja, and DIG representing South-East geopolitical zone.
He stands out as the highest ranked police officer in the South-East followed by the newly promoted Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Frank Mba, who Is the new head of Force Criminal Investigative Department (Annex), Alagbon.
Police record shows that Amadi is to proceed on retirement in June 2023, leaving Mr. Mbah as the highest police officer from the South-East.
(To be continued)
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Security hints
Did you know that, as a patriotic Nigerian, your personal contribution can go a long way in curbing insecurity by always calling the national security number: 08031230631 NPF RESCUE ME (Toll-free line) any time you encounter acts that could create disturbance, endanger other people’s lives or bring about destruction of properties and environmental peace?
Did you know that your cell phone can be an instrument to save yourself? According to retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, “First store the letters ‘AA’ before storing security or any help line number on your phone.
For example, AA 08031230631. This enables you to easily access the security or help line effortlessly.
HAPPY EASTER.
