(CAIDOV)
C/O G.H Agoro and Co. 8, Ijaye road, Ogba Ijaye, Lagos
Email: caidov@yahoo.com
Tel: 09091391300
2nd September, 2016
To:
The Director – General,
Department of State Security Service, (DSS)
Aso Drive, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
Attention: Col. Lawal Musa Daura (Rtd).
Re: Senator Buruji Kasamu’s Private Army
Re: Unwholesome Deployment of Heavily-armed Private Security Guards,
Potential Build up of Private Army and Threat to Nationality Security.
Preamble
1. We write with the intention to intimate your office of what we perceive as a potential threat to the security of the nation, safety of other citizens and to call on your department to take the necessary steps to avoid what may eventually become a security breach and an embarrassment to the nation and the security network in the nearest future.
2. Kindly note sir, that our observation was informed by ourunderstanding that Security all over the world is more about the"total absence of threats" and definitely not in all the physicalsecurity architecture we often put in place. It is a state ofpsychological sense of safety essentially involving Intelligencegathering.
3. Drawing from information on global best practices in securitycorridors, we know Very Important Personalities (VIPs) areconsidered to be those who, whenever they come to any harm,have the potential of affecting not only them and immediatemembers of their family, but can threaten the security of thestate and a large number of people in the society.
4. These people, to our understanding are the people qualifiedfor Protective Details of Security agencies. And they comeunder different categories of Public Officers.
5. It is in the light of the above, and based on our understanding,and having conducted extensive research in relation to the abovesubject matter, that we are writing this petition to your goodoffice and to call your attention to the potential threat posed tostate security, of having a personality like Senator BurujiKasamu have unfettered access to protective details at the State'sexpense, and uncontrolled allowance/permission to use heavilyarmed Private security operatives.
6. We need to draw the attention of your esteemed office to thethreats contained in this. Apart from the research conducted byus, only few members of the public are aware that most of themen attached to the Senator are private guards. More often thannot they are mistaken as men and officers of the Department ofState Security (DSS) by the unsuspecting publics, especiallybecause they are dressed in black suits, T-shirts like operativesof your department and sometimes carrying arms. In the event ofany security breach or laxity, the department will have a lot ofexplaining to do (on its image) to convince the public about theiridentity.
7. Our study also reveals that in most cases, places and severalinstances where insecurity, militancy and armed violencesnowball into national crises, there had been a period ofdeliberate nonchalance, laxity and sometimes complicity bythose who are charged with the security of the society. Thedreaded Boko Haram sect is an immediate case study. Membersof the sect had at a point been employed as private Securityaides and details of some top politicians, governmentfunctionaries including governors in Borno State before theybecame uncontrollable. God forbid a repeat situation in anyother parts of the federation.
8. Senator Buruji Kasamu goes about with over fifty (50) privatesecurity guards and all are heavily armed. Sir, we can thenimagine what a scene it will look like in a society where wehave all the 109 Senators in the Upper legislative chamber eachemploying the services of approximately 50 private Securitydetails; each of the 360 members of the House ofRepresentatives; all commissioners in the services of each of the36 states; all past governors; former Senators and members ofHouse of Representatives etc and all of them treating themselvesto this luxury of liberty and freedom that is being accordedSenator Buruji Kasamu.
9. One can also imagine a situation where a private citizen havethe capacity to hold down the security system and operatives ofan entire nation for weeks or even withstand a siege for monthsin the case of any crime for which he is declared wanted. Thereare several examples in this regard. The first time a rankinggovernment official was killed in the United States of Americawas at the Church of Heaven's Gate of the Reverend Jim Jonesin Guyana. The case of notorious Mexican drug lord, Guzman ElChapo who recently broke jail in spite of all state securityapparatuses is also fresh in the memory. He was able to achievethis feat because of the retinue of personal extra security at hisdisposal.
10. We are not persuaded by reasons of logic and security thatSenator Kasamu enjoys more privileged status than hiscolleagues in the Senate and other eminent citizens of ourcountry.
11. We therefore call on your good office to urgently interveneto arrest this real, actual and potential threats to the security ofthe Nigerian state and the good citizens of the country.
12. Kindly find attached for your perusal.
Sincerely yours,
Gbenga Soloki
Secretary.
Cc:
1. His Excellency, President Mohammadu Buhari,
President, Federal Republic of Nigeria,
Aso Rock Villa Abuja, Nigeria
2. National Security Adviser,
The Presidency Aso Villa, Abuja.
3.The Inspector-General of Police
Force Headquarters, Louis Edet House Abuja, Nigeria.
4. Assistant Inspector-General of Police Zone 2,
Nigerian Police Force,
Onikan, Lagos, Nigeria.
5. The Commissioner of Police,
Ogun State Police Command,
Eleweran Abeokuta OgunState.
6. Senator Ibikunle Amosun,FCA,CON,
The Executive Governor of Ogun State
Governor's Office, Oke-Mosan Abeokuta,
Ogun State.
7. State Director,
Department of State Security, OgunState
Oke-Mosan Abeokuta, Ogun State.
8. Ambassador to Nigeria
Embassy of the United States of America
Plot 1075, Diplomatic Drive Central District Area, Abuja.
9.The Canadian High Commissioner to Nigeria
3A, Bobo Street Off Gana Street, Maitama,
FCT Abuja.
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