A bout a month ago, the mace that symbolises authority in the National Assembly was stolen but later recovered after few days. Why the Nigeria security operatives have not been able to apprehend anyone in connection with the theft has now become subject generating debate in the society. A Legal Practitioner in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, Yahya Kale Saadu, however shares his views on the issue with our JUDICIARY CORRESPONDENT, KAYODE ADEOTI. Excerpt:
On the issue of mace that was stolen at the National Assembly and later recovered, members of the public have faulted Nigeria security operatives for not apprehending any culprit yet in connection with the crime, can you put things in the right perspectives?
There is no smoke without fire. The 8th Assembly are there to represent those people that voted them into power, but it appears the reverse is the case. They tend to be more concern about issues that involve one of them. One will be surprised that such a thing happened to them, it cannot be outside the knowledge of some members of the Senate, the security in the Senate with the connivance of other persons coming from outside. Definitely, it is not probable and is not likely that they will get anyone as culprit. Senator Omo-Agege may not be the culprit but was connected with the crime and coincidentally, it happened on the day he was enjoying the order of the court to return to the house.
Following the drama that surrounded the stolen mace and armed robbery attack in Offa, Kwara State, will you say our security system in Nigeria is porous?
It is as if government of Kwara State believes we don’t need anything from them, and it is because of the orientation of the people of Ilorin. Of course, they would not have demanded anything with violence, the little violence coming up gradually, is because they are pushed to the wall. It is not part of their characters to make demand violently. Our government is trying but they should do more. There is high expectation on them to set things right and they cannot give room for failure, I’m sure.
The emergence of President Muhammed Buhari seems to have introduced a new twist to the fight against corruption… What’s your take on this?
You will understand that nobody was fighting against corruption before until the emergence of Buhari, so make a distinction there. No administration had a programme fighting corruption in the Nigeria. Everyone has seen lots of efforts geared towards combating the menace. I could remember before we voted him in, I said the war he’s coming to face against corruption is very difficult. Not quite a week after my submission, I read an article in newspaper saying corruption will fight back. I pondered over it then I realised that those people accused of corruption are powerful in this nation and they have means to fight back because they’ve the control of the populace, whatever they say to them, they listen and do their biddings than the government they’re not benefiting anything from directly. Whoever wants to fight corruption in this country must be ready to step on people’s toes and that’s exactly what the president is facing now.
Will you also back the calls to declare herdsmen as terrorist group in Nigeria?
I will not. Most of the cattle rearers in the state, we are conversant with them because we do a lot together, can such a people rise up one day to fight their host community with cutlasses and guns? You remember Alapa crisis in the state, because we did not put forward political interest, everybody rose to the challenge and quench the crisis. Most places where killings persist, it’s the hand works of some powerful corrupt persons in the country. Miyatty Allah has been on ground for years, their people cannot suddenly become dangerous. They hardly go about with gun and if they do it’s dane one. But those people killing are using sophisticated weapons, where and how do they come about it? Definitely, some people in power are supplying them.
