Current Issue: IGP’s refusal to appear before Senate disrespect to democracy

Tafa Ahmed is a legal luminary based in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. He speaks with our Judiciary Correspondent, KAYODE ADEOTI on herdsmen killings, among insecurity issue in Nigeria. He also broached on the trial of Senator Dino Melaye among other sundry matters. Excepts:
Looking at the drama that is playing out in the case of Senator Dino Melaye, will you agree to the positions of some Nigerians that it portends danger to the nation’s democracy?
Law and dispensation of justice, is perceived to be blind but fair to all persons. Someone who committed an offence in Abuja, Kogi State even Kwara State, whenever police sees him, he will be apprehended to answer all the charges against him. But as it is, what we are seeing playing out now is the deployment of state resources, that is bastardising the institution. The arrest and the arraignment of Senator Dino must have caused taxpayers minimum of N25 millions. Is that what we need at this time, will that move the nation forward? Yes, the embattled Senator must have committed an offence, but he wanted his prosecution to come up in Abuja, he complained to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, he was arraigned in Abuja, but after the court proceedings, the police removed his file, rearrested him then took him to Lokoja for arraignment but unfortunately, he was not granted bail. The decision on the matter of Dino Melaye cannot be determined by a blind judiciary. The matter has attained political dimension, some people are for persecution while some are for prosecution. But the institution is strong, not biased; they will do what is right. The issue of bail is the discretion of the court; he was granted bail in Abuja but remanded in Kogi, whatever it is now, he cannot attend to his trial in Abuja. But court would have taken into consideration that the essence of bail is for him to be able to attend his trial that was why he was asked to submit his passport in Abuja court.
Recently, the Senate summoned the Inspector General of Police (IGP) but he did not show up, do you think such development has legal implications?
I’m not going to be particular about anybody, whoever the Senate summons, he or she is under a duty to answer the call. Because, it’s Nigerians calling you to give certain accounts. He cannot be bigger than the institution called Nigeria, that’s fallacy. Individuals cannot be bigger than the state because of their disrespect for it. It’s only God that will save Nigeria.
There seems to be moves for the impeachment of Mr President…?
The process for any impeachment as never been fathomed nor kick started. Somebody maybe feeling aggrieved over what he has done in relation to certain issues. But, till this time, nobody has called for his impeachment. I only see the threat as a way of calling him to order. We have a rule as a people that guides us and at all time, nobody should be exempted from it. If our leaders who we hold in high esteem are found working against the norm or the constitution of the land, he or she can always be cautioned. With the present government, there are lots of things that is casting doubt on its credibility. President should spend according to the Appropriation Act, as at today, there is no such act. The president that controls all bodies of government has failed to defend the budget… The personnel in the helm of affairs today, have left Nigeria out of governance, they are doing as if is only APC that constitutes Nigeria, but 80 percent of Nigerians are not card carrying members of any political party.
Some members of the public have posited that the herdsmen killings in Nigeria continued unabated because it has political and religion inclinations… Can you put things in the right perspectives?
We’re given to applying cosmetics surgeries to our problems. We failed as people to look back, dig into history and see where we were coming from and where we are likely going to end in this dispensation. When the issue of Boko Haram started, the evil group was using bombs, guns and all sorts. It will be foolhardy for Nigerians to believe that what constitute the sect are just Nigerians. Boko Haram are those looking for safe abode between countries where they can be ask for recognition, for declaration as a state, in the course of doing this, with the weapons and ammunitions, some of them became powerful, warlords. Today Boko Haram is fast coming to an end, but they’re relinquishing their weapons those who are closest to them. When Nigeria ended civil war, there were stories of armed robbery because of the weapons that were in circulation. That’s exactly what is playing out now, after Boko Haram, there are so much weapons in circulation for the herdsmen whom they’ve given freely. We are more divided among ourselves than united. It’s not easy for a Yoruba man to diffuse into Maiduguri but easy for a Nigerien to diffuse into Kaduna. We hate ourselves and welcome strangers into our mist. Government is doing window dressing on the issue of security. If care is not taken, we will keep palliating it till it consumes us all. Till this time, the highest power that we have has been deployed and no solution. Army is on the field but no result yet.