Most of the actions taken by the Federal Government and the security agencies in the past six months have shown that the 2015 elections may be marred by violence. The attack last Saturday on the All Progressives Congress’s (APC) Ikeja, Lagos Data Centre is another pointer to the government’s disregard for the rule of law. The mode of operation of the security men who invaded the centre bore marks of hoodlums who lacked training and decorum. The three private security men on duty were arrested along with data analysts, even as the invaders carted away documents and computers.
In a bid to gain access, the gate was said to have been pulled down, computers vandalised and the server disconnected.
The Nigerian Navy’s denial of involvement is a redeeming feature in the saga as it would be unfortunate if a force trained and empowered to secure the territorial waters could be involved in a clearly partisan operation on land. It is also reassuring the Navy is not denying the possibility of some of its personnel having been procured for the action. We hope that a thorough investigation would be carried out and whoever might have been directly or indirectly implicated punished as some of those who joined in the raid allegedly wore the Navy camouflage.
On the other hand, the Department of State Security (DSS) might have confirmed a deep seated orientation of its operatives to work against the interest of the Nigerian state and people. Its spokeswoman, Ms. Marilyn Ogar, who confirmed the raid agreed that it was tipped off to carry out the raid by an anonymous petition. She also claimed that the DSS had watched the office for two weeks before moving against it. However, she showed the department’s lack of competence by admitting that despite having the petition and watching the facility for that long, it was unable to determine the owners and nature of activities going on there.
How could the DSS funded to gather intelligence and nip crimes against the state in the bud claim it acted because there was no signpost to indicate that the facility belongs to the APC? Is she suggesting that it is illegal to keep an office as private as possible? It is appalling that Ms. Ogar does not know that a data centre is not a public place to which attention need be drawn. It is neither a general office nor a registration centre.
It would not be the first time Ms. Ogar would betray the political inclination. During the Osun State governorship election when the agency deployed men in unusual uniform and was used to pick up chieftains of one of the participating parties, it was the DSS spokeswoman who spoke in a manner suggesting that the men were obeying lawful orders. She alleged that the APC had tried to bribe DSS officials but failed to supply any proof. No one was arrested for the crime of bribery.
We are concerned that, by the action of the security operatives, democracy is being imperilled in the country. Democracy is known to stand on the Rule of Law and thrives on defined processes and procedures. But, when the government in power chooses to disregard the law and acts whimsically, the opposition and citizenry are encouraged to respond accordingly, thus provoking the break down of law and order. Last week’s show of shame by the police at the National Assembly, the recent withdrawal of security aides of the Speaker of the House of Representatives by the Inspector-General of Police and now the invasion of an APC office are all indications that, desperate to hold on to power, those in power could resort to acts subversive of the good order.
This impunity must stop now.
