Bad beginning

Hardball

New Chief of Army Staff Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru is expected to concentrate on tackling escalating insecurity. But there is a hot issue that also demands his attention.  The Nigerian Army is at the centre of the probe by the Lagos State Judicial Panel on Restitution for Victims of SARS-related Abuses and Other Matters. Yet again, on March 20, the army failed to honour the panel’s invitation. This is a negative beginning for Lt. Gen. Attahiru.

The panel is expected to find out what actually happened at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lagos, on the evening of October 20, 2020.  Did soldiers indeed “massacre” civilians engaged in a peaceful protest against abuse of power by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force, known as SARS?  The Lekki protesters were the focal point of the nationwide #EndSARS protests.

Under the former army boss, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, there were indications that the army was uncooperative; giving the impression that it didn’t consider the investigation important.

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On more than one occasion, the General Officer Commanding 81 Division, Maj. Gen. Godwin Umelo, and the Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Camp, Victoria Island, Lagos, Lt. Col. S.O. Bello, had shunned the panel’s invitation. In particular, Lt. Col. Bello is a person of interest because he led the battalion involved in the Lekki shooting under investigation.

The Commander of 81 Division, Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Taiwo, had testified before the panel, denying claims that soldiers shot #EndSARS protesters with live bullets during the operation. However, the panel had summoned Maj. Gen. Umelo and Lt. Col. Bello because Brig. Gen. Taiwo’s testimony was inadequate.

It is unclear why the two officers had failed to appear before the panel. But there is no justification for their failure to honour its invitation. They were expected to appear before the panel not only to clarify the issue but also to exculpate the army. Their non-cooperation was bad for the army’s image. The army is supposed to operate under the law in a democracy.

There is a need for clarity. The army initially claimed its personnel were not at the toll gate when the incident happened, then later admitted it had deployed soldiers to the place with live and blank bullets, maintaining that soldiers shot into the air and did not kill any protester.

The panel’s chairman, retired Justice Doris Okuwobi, had ordered that fresh summons be issued to the officers who had shunned its invitation. “Service shall also be made to the Office of the Chief of Army Staff…,” she had said.  Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai was still the boss at the time.

Lt. Gen. Attahiru should demonstrate that he truly represents a new era. He should ensure that the army cooperates with the panel. Anything less than that would be suspicious.