REPLY TO CP ABANIWONDA SURAJUDEEN OLUFEMI, DELTA STATE COMMISSIONER OF POLICE ON OKUAMA

By Zik Gbemre

CP Abaniwonda Surajudeen Olufemi asked me on ‘WhatsApp text messages on 1st April 2024 “What is your understanding of Democracy?
Your writer has insulted everyone in authority in Nigeria, so what is your definition of law and order?
You continue to help a tribalist to spread his narrative, it is so unfortunate, can’t some of his assertions be questioned as you help spread his narrative”.

My layman’s answer as a Nigerian citizen and elder in Urhobo land in Delta state is as follows:

CP Abaniwonda Surajudeen Olufemi, as a law enforcement officer, you have your professional context of “Law and Order” which could bother how well security agencies can apply force to keep society in check, whether lawfully or by impunity.

Law and Order is when a society is governed according to the Rule of Law and respect for the rules of a Society.
Nigeria is a Democracy with a federal constitution that stipulates the roles, functions and powers of every organ, institution and agency of government.

People in authority in a democratic society are accountable to the citizens of their country. We, the citizens of Nigeria, have the right to criticise or correct our leaders, elected officials, and public officers, including military and police officers, as long as it is within the ambit of the rule of law.

It is very, very wrong under the 1999 Federal Constitution of Nigeria for a police officer of your standing to hand over an arrested civilian under your custody to military authorities. We are in a civil democracy that is governed according to the rule of law.

As narrated by Joel Okandeji, a notable Agbarha-Ame Warri Chief and retired senior staff of Shell, “The rule of law stipulates that nobody is above the law. Not even a military general Inspector General of Police or Commissioner of Police.

The arrest, detention, and prosecution of any suspect under our Constitution is the responsibility of the Nigerian Police, not the military authorities.

The rule of law also stipulates that the country must be governed or administered according to the provisions of the Constitution.

Anything outside that is nothing but impunity.” For Nigerian police to hand over Ewu’s traditional ruler to the military for further investigation and prosecution or whatever reason in a democratically elected government is worrisome in this 21st century.

Sam Obinya who is a social scientist narrated, “The question l continue to ask, is that under what law did the police derive such delegated functional responsibility from, to hand over a civilian matter to the military to conduct on its behalf? This is not a coup d’etat that is purely a military matter.

What we have as a democracy, is nothing short of a quasi-civil/military-political arrangement called a diarchy. ”

As I have said earlier the killing of soldiers, killing of Okuama locals and burning down of Okuama village is condemnable no matter the provocation.
You, CP Abaniwonda Surajudeen Olufemi labelled me a tribalist.

Who is a tribalist, myself or President Tinubu who appointed a Yoruba IG and posted a Yoruba CP to Delta and replaced him with you Abaniwonda Surajudeen Olufemi, another Yoruba man?

Zik Gbemre
April 2, 2024
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