Follow Us on Google
Once again, families and friends of uniformed security agents who were specifically drafted to provide executive or what is termed VIP protection to very popular personalities in society are in tears: the officers fell to the bullets from armed criminals known as assassins.
The activities of these criminals are not new in the country. In the past, assasination was more directed at political figures and other top government officials. Examples abound like the assassination of General Murtala Muhammed whose Mercedes Benz car was ambushed en route his office at Dodan Barracks, Lagos, along with his aide-de-camp, Lieutenant Akintunde Akinsehinwa, on February 13, 1976.
Also, a top politician Chief Bola Ige, was assassinated on December 23, 2001. Ige was shot dead at his home in the south-western city of Ibadan. He had been entangled in squabbles within his Alliance for Democracy party in Osun State.
While the the number of assassination is becoming frightening, it is the new dimension that needs to be the focal point of investigators, especially government, whose constitutional mandate is to provide a secure society for the citizenry.
Painfully though the vicious atmosphere has made the ordinary people hang their hopes on their creator instead of the Nigeria Police who seem overwhelmed by the high rate of insecurity around the country. Only recently, two great sons of Anambra, Senator Ifeanyi Ubah and Dr Chike Akunyili, were the target of assassins. While the latter was unfortunate, Ubah escaped unhurt, but policemen deployed to provide protection for his convoy were killed during the assassination bid.
According to security definition, “assassination may be prompted by political and military motives, or done for financial gain, to avenge a grievance, from a desire to acquire fame or notoriety, or because of a military, security, insurgent or secret police group’s command to carry out the assassination.”
As the country is on the march to another round of elections, with the unfortunate increasing army of unemployed youths roaming around, who have become free agents for evil-minded death merchants that have uncontrollable access to unlicensed guns, it is another sad news that gunmen with criminal motives waylaid the convoy of Apostle Johnson Suleman of the Omega Fire Ministries and three policemen and four domestic staff of the Apostle were killed.
Reports said that the incident happened last Friday near Auchi at the Water Tank Junction along the Warake-Auchi road on his way to Auchi, returning from a foreign mission.
The incident reportedly happened at 5pm when an unidentified group of gunmen, who eyewitnesses said had been in a Toyota Avalon car and a Sienna vehicle without number plates opened fire at the homecoming convoy of the cleric.
Eyewitnesses said the two vehicles blocked all other vehicles and maneouvered their way to meet Suleman’s convoy and opened fire on him.
A critical analysis of the entire incident points clearly to an attempted assassination of the Apostle. However, investigators have to urgently delve into the nitty-gritty of the incident by looking more into the business relationships of the Apostle, if any. The question still remains, why would he be the target of assassins? Is this a new trend rearing its ugly head in the country?
A lot has been said about the caliber of security agents often drafted to handle VIP or executive protection. What is their level of training? Many are quick to suggest that a drastic change should be effected as regards executive protection squads. More timely is the call by the Total Security Platform (an elite security platform of retired senior officers of the police, Nigerian Army, DSS and private security consultants). It is an important suggestion, and the federal government should urgently review the police force order as it relates to executive protection order.
————————————————
Behold the sweetness of award and promotion (3)
Indeed, these security officers sacrificed their sleep and leisure for the citizens to sleep well while the arduous burden to secure the country was on their shoulders as security leaders. They bear the brunt of insecurity in the country. So, one can imagine what would be going on in their minds as their Commander-in-Chief presented the plaque and certificate to honour them, coupled with a presidential handshake and smile. This is the peak of their career, and it is marvelous in the eyes of all the guests. Both promotion and awards go hand in hand. After receiving all the promotions as a uniformed officer, one is more blessed to be remembered to receive awards, especially national merit award like retired former COAS, Gen. Yusuf Tukur Buratai, ex-IGP Mohammad Abubakar Adamu, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa, Gen. Babagana Monguno, Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, Gen. Lucky Irabor, Air Marshal Isiaka Oladayo, Admiral Awwal Gambo, Gen. Faruk Yahaya, Alhaji Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, Dr. Solomon Arase and the retired Comptroller of Immigration, Alhaji Muhammadu Babandede, among others.
So it was days after the 62nd Independence celebration of Nigeria, that the Police Service Commission released after thorough scrutiny of the list of police officers penciled for promotion by the Nigeria Police. Thank goodness the police authority did not withhold the list as it did with the recruitment exercise. I would have dug more into the recruitment imbroglio that has over the years smeared the image of both institutions as if it is hard to interpret the constitution. Many keen observers believe that there are more to the tug of. War or what some describe as test of “who blinks first”. However, so as not to bring in a soured discussion into a joyful atmosphere, I am constrained to ignore the unfortunate dent on the cooperate image of both security institutions, and delve into the promotion announcement. Indeed, they were 40 senior police officers whose promotions were released and it sparked off jubilation around police environment. Yes, on paper, they were only 40, but the ecstatic joy extends to colleagues, friends, family members and the chain continues and even this writer who had been around police circles for over 40 years was not left out of the joyful celebration.
Their promotion was expected and predicted. They were among the evolving new generation of leaders within the Nigeria Police. These men and women had passed through a more tougher screening procedures put in place by both the better focused police management team and that of the new leadership of the Police Service Commission, under the leadership of Justice Clara Bata Ogunbiyi (rtd).
(To be continued)
————————-.——————————–
SECURITY FILE congratulates AIG Umaru Musa Miri of Zone 13, Awka, Anambra State, on his retirement. He is an avid reader of this column. Happy restful years ahead.
