Boko Haram: Repeating the mistake of Saddam Hussein

Ibrahim M. Attahir

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:33:28 WAT

However, those that gave the orders and those that executed the orders appeared to be very comfortable with the atrocities that they committed. The impunity with which they acted was such that the extra-judicial killings were well captured by cameras amidst spectators. That is the drunkenness of those in power. They know that all it takes is to tell us over NTA that the victims were gunned down while they were trying to escape or during the exchange of fire. That was exactly what we were told: that Malam Muhammad Yusuf was killed during the exchange of fire or while trying to escape. Fortunately or unfortunately, ICT did not betray us. Overwhelming evidence came out that he was captured alive and the footage of his dead body showed him in handcuff. I wonder how a handcuffed person can exchange fire with anybody. They forgot to remove the handcuff!

Due to the weighty evidence of the extra-judicial killings, the government promised to investigate the killings. However, the public is still in the dark on the outcome of the investigation. If what we heard on the media is anything to go by, the investigation is on why excessive force was used to suppress the armed insurrection. In my understanding, using force or excessive force in suppression of an insurrection as envisaged under section 33 (2) (c) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 applies during combat not after the capture of disarmed or unarmed civilians. One should not have expected anything better when the same security agencies that were accused were allowed to be judges in their own case. If it were in civilized countries, the issue deserves an independent investigation. If not for the Aljazeera footages shown on 9th through 10th February, 2010 the extra-judicial killings would have been swept under the carpet. Even human right groups seem to have forgotten the issue. However, I heard a senator telling Aljazeera that the killings are being investigated and those behind them will face justice. Why is it that since July 2009 we have not heard anything until when Aljazeera revisited the issue? We should know who and who are being investigated, where and when and for what offences. I wonder if a senator is the proper person to inform us on what is happening when the office of the Attorney General and the police are there.

I don’t know why a government that prides itself as following rule of law will allow its agents to kill unarmed suspects who are already captured, some of them with apparent disability (walking with crutches) and turn round to say they are armed insurgents. Why are the authorities afraid of due process of law? I believe that Abacha regime, regarded by some as the worst military dictatorship, could not have acted in that manner. That is the worst thing that could happen even in a jungle where there is no government. The attitude of the authorities makes one to assume that they do not have any evidence against the suspects that can secure conviction if they were to be tried in a court of law. What people in authority forget is that following due process of law is in their own interest. If we allow extra-judicial methods to prevail it will be used against anybody any time.

It is unfortunate that people in power do not learn any lesson from the mistakes of others. It is such refusal to follow due process of law that is easily used to nail dictators when they leave power. Take, for example, the case of Saddam Hussein. When his convoy was allegedly attacked in an attempt to assassinate him in Dujail in 1982 he could have safely caused his attackers to be tried. No government could have just looked the other way. However, his mistake was that instead of following the due process of law, villagers numbering 148 were rounded up randomly and executed summarily. That time nothing happened. But when Saddam was toppled and subsequently captured the Dujail incident was found as one of the easiest ways to nail him and his lieutenants. Such cases of extra-judicial killings are easy to establish because those involved in them get carried away by the euphoria of power and try to justify them. Therefore, it is easy to lay hands on evidence including documentary evidence.

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Therefore, now that that the issue has been revisited we will see how the Nigerian authorities, the human rights community and the international community will act. It is in the interest of the powers that be to investigate the issue now and bring the perpetrators to book. If, however, they sweep it under the carpet, the day another regime decides to revisit the issue only God knows those that will be involved. It is most unfortunate that even religious “scholars” justified or even instigated such atrocities. Some of the “scholars” used the opportunity to settle scores with the “Boko Haram”. It is unwise to support injustice against somebody simply because you do not share the same opinion with him or he is your rival. Whatever is the gravity of the offence alleged against any person he should be given opportunity to defend himself in a trial.

Attahir writes from Pantami Quarters,[email protected]

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