Guardian

Femi Falana (SAN), lawyer and rights activist gives perspective to the emergency rule declared by President Jonathan. 

Implications

THERE is massive violation of the rights of the people in those states in the hands of the terrorists and the armed forces or the Joint Task Force.  Right now thousands of residents of Baga who attempted to leave the town two days ago were prevented by the JTF. This was sequel to the sealing off of the town for nine days whereby the people became short of supply of food and other essential items. The terrorists are likely to shift base to some other border states with a view to stretching the JTF beyond its capacity. That was what happened in Katsina State barely 48 hours after the imposition of emergency rule in Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states. I am referring to the bomb attacks in Daura, a border town in Katsina State. The other challenge is that the increased militarization of the Northeast zone and the intensification of the war on terror have made a mockery of the work of the Boko Haram amnesty committee recently inaugurated by the federal government. In any case the federal government is under a serious pressure to contain terrorism attacks and prevent it from spreading to other states in the country.

Possible outcome

Emergency rule cannot end the activities of insurgents as we have seen in Algeria, Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries prone to terrorism. I continue to insist that the federal government has to implement the recommendations of the Ambassador Usman Galtimari Committee on insurgency in the Northeast. Since a White Paper was issued on the report of the committee in June 2012 the federal government is under an obligation to faithfully implement the recommendations. The issues covered in the report pertain to the genesis of the Boko Haram sect, the crisis of lack of education and unemployment, which drive young and innocent people to the sect. The solutions suggested by the committee, which the government accepted includes the prosecutions of the politicians who set up the groups for the purpose of terrorizing their political opponents urging elections. The report of the Sheikh Ahmed Lemu Presidential Panel on the post election violence in the North in 2011 is by far more profound in terms of suggestions and far-reaching solutions to the crisis of corruption, abuse of office, illegal dissolution of local government structures, illegal salaries paid to legislators, security votes and the prosecution of the 626 persons apprehended by the police during the riots and compensation for the dependants of the 943 persons who lost their lives. The panel tasked the government to create jobs, regulate religious rallies and preaching, rebuild churches that were burnt, give certificates of occupancy to religious bodies who have been denied in some Northern states. The government has to add a stick and carrot approach to win the war on terror. While intensifying the activities of the JTF, the federal government has to implement the reports of both Galtimari and Lemu committees on terrorism and political violence in the North. The reports are also applicable and relevant to the resolution of the crisis of political violence, kidnapping and other violent crimes in other parts of the country. The issue of job creation, mass education for every kid of school age and mass education for all citizens are of general application. To end the culture of impunity the government has directed the Attorney General and minister of justice to set the engine in motion for the establishment of an electoral Offences tribunal to try all those who commit electoral Offenses from time to time. Regrettably, the directives to end impunity have been ignored to the detriment of law and order in the society.

Armed Forces

Our armed forces and the police force have not been trained in guerilla warfare and counter terrorism. That has prolonged the war on terror up till now. With the budget crisis, which has not been resolved it is doubtful if the huge budget for national security has been disbursed for the training and acquisition of vital equipment to prosecute the war.