Dasuki: Buhari taking us back to the dark days of dictatorship?

It is a brazen act of impunity and recklessness for a Nigerian to be placed under house arrest without a court order. It takes us back to the time when might was right. This can only be done under a military dictatorship. President Buhari’s action is a clear indication that the man has not properly schooled himself in the act of civil governance. He must realise that he is running a country with laws and processes and not a village meeting.

Nigerians woke up on Friday to be informed that the immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), had been placed under house arrest by operatives of the Department of State Services, (DSS).

The operatives, who stormed Dasuki’s Asokoro, Abuja residence on Thursday, prevented access to the house, and also disallowed the former NSA from attending the Eid prayers marking the end of the Ramadan on Friday.

Up till the time of writing this editorial, no official reason has been given for what many legal practitioners have told us at ionigeria.com is a gross violation of Dasuki’s fundamental human right.

However, about 24 hours after unlawfully incarcerating the man, the security operatives were withdrawn but not without seizing some of his vital documents including international passport.

There are however speculations that the circumscription of his movement and the eventual seizure of his passport may not be unconnected with the probe of how funds allocated for the prosecution of the war against terrorism was managed by the retired colonel, who supervised the money voted for counter-insurgency operations against the Boko Haram sect in the North-East.

There are some Nigerians who however believe that the President is merely engaging in a pure act of vindictiveness. It must be recalled that the then Major Sambo Dasuki was one of the four Majors that arrested Buhari on the day of the coup that removed him from power as military Head of State. Buhari is believed not to have forgiven him and is looking for opportunity to pay him back.

It might well be that there is a genuine case against the former NSA but since we are not under a military dictatorship, President Muhammadu Buhari must follow due process. The acts of restricting his movement and seizing his passport are grossly improper. They constitute a flagrant abuse of Dasuki’s constitutionally guarantee fundamental right of free movement. He has the right to seek redress in court.

The proper thing that should have been done was for the government to approach the court to seek for his detention. There is no evidence that the government has done that.

So far, President Buhari is the accuser, the prosecutor, the judge and interpreter of the law.

It is a brazen act of impunity and recklessness for a Nigerian to be placed under house arrest without a court order. It takes us back to the time when might was right. This can only be done under a military dictatorship.

President Buhari’s action is a clear indication that the man has not properly schooled himself in the act of civil governance. He must realise that he is running a country with laws and processes and not a village meeting.

Buhari must be reminded of what he said during his presentation at Chatham House in the United Kingdom before he was elected: “I have heard and read references to me as a former dictator in many respected British newspapers including the well regarded Economist. Let me say without sounding defensive that dictatorship goes with military rule, though some might be less dictatorial than others. I take responsibility for whatever happened under my watch.

I cannot change the past. But I can change the present and the future. So before you is a former military ruler and a converted democrat who is ready to operate under democratic norms”.

Instead of hitting the ground running, he is hitting the ground crawling. He is running amok and violating basic tenets of democracy.

This is not the first time that the President is acting a manner repulsive to the laws of the land. One of his first actions which showed that he still thinks he is a military dictator is his appointment of a retired officer from his time as the Director-General of the DSS. The DSS is a professional security agency like the police whereby the headship is reserved for officers in service but Buhari brought out a man who retired at the age of 60 two years ago and made him DG. It is like appointing a retired police officer the Inspector General of Police or a retired Army Officer the Chief of Army Staff.

Finally, it is necessary to appeal to Nigerians to be vigilant because we have a President who has the tendency to act in disregard of the law. We must resist all attempts to take us back to the dark days of military dictatorship when might was right.