Alleged Bandits’ Video: Stakeholders Blame ONSA, Military Rivalry for Misunderstanding

•Kwara says bandits not arrested in north-central state, PDP kicks

Persons with knowledge of the circumstances leading to the arrest of alleged ‘bandits’ recently, who said they were connected with the Kwara government, yesterday said that the misunderstanding arose as a result of the ‘rivalry’ between the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the Nigerian military.

The sources stated that it was the petty rivalry that led the officers who apprehended the youths to rush to the media, instead of thoroughly probing the situation and acting accordingly, instead of filming and leaking the video to the public.

The intervention followed the circulation of a viral video  showing soldiers interrogating a group of suspected bandits allegedly found patrolling with AK-47 rifles in a local security patrol vehicle, bearing the inscription of Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

In the video, the suspects were seen lying face down with their hands tied, as soldiers questioned them about their activities and the source of the weapons recovered.

But the source stated that the young people were local people hired to supply the ONSA intelligence from local communities, stressing that the so-called bandits were not even arrested in Kwara, but in Edo State.

“A few years ago, I read a heart-wrenching account of how institutional rivalry between the US Department of State and Department of Defense contributed hugely to the apocalyptic September 9/11 terrorist attack on the United States. This account was contained in “The Looming Tower, Al-Qaeda’s Road to 9/11”, a book that won the 2007 Pulitzer Prize.

“Out of petty rivalry and avoidable problems, the US lost tens of thousands of its citizens to an attack that Lawrence Wright, author of the award-winning book, said could have been averted if the two important agencies had worked seamlessly together in the interest of the country.

“Ordinarily, books such as Lawrence’s are meant to guide world leaders, policymakers, and security commanders. But the irony is that ‘what we learn from history is that too often we do not learn from history.

“This applies to the happenings in Nigeria’s security sector, especially what is looking like a rivalry between the Office of the National Security Adviser and the military, especially the Army. Nothing better illustrates this than the recent uproar from the arrest of some individuals in Auchi, Edo State, with a Hillux vehicle belonging to Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

“In the less than two minutes video that trended recently, we saw how soldiers interrogated some men purported to be bandits and how they mentioned specific names of persons whom they claimed gave them weapons from Abuja.

“There are revelations that the persons mentioned in this audio such as Tinja and Victor are senior workers in the ONSA. Going by the revelations, no bandit was actually arrested. The persons arrested are most likely vigilantes coordinated by the NSA Office,” the person stated.

This embarrassing situation, the source said, raises a lot of questions, wondering why it was taking an eternity for either of the agencies to clarify whether those arrested were bandits or vigilantes.

“One, rather than leak the video of individuals who those in the know said are vigilantes working with ONSA, why did the Army not investigate further by contacting the NSA Office? What purpose was the video expected to serve? Embarrass the ONSA and, to a large extent, the government?

“ If the two agencies act this way, what is the extent of the damage of this rivalry to national security? What happens to cooperation and coordination of counterterrorism efforts? For how long will the two agencies continue this kind of rivalry and at whose expense?

“Also, given the extent of the damage this whole affair has caused to many, including the people of Kwara and their government, why is it taking eternity for either of the agencies to clarify whether those arrested are bandits or vigilantes?,” the source asked.

Stressing that these two agencies are some of the most important bodies in the security architecture of Nigeria, the stakeholder stated that they need to work together for the good of the Nigerian people.

Also, the Kwara State Government has clarified that the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandit in Ifelodun Local Government Area of the State, contrary to the ‘disinformation’ spreading on social media platforms.

“First, the Nigerian Army did not arrest any armed bandits in any part of Ifelodun. We have carefully watched the short video in circulation in which some individuals arrested said they were in possession of a vehicle given to them by ‘Ilorin Government’ and weapons they received ‘from Abuja’.

“While the content of the video and the whole circumstances around the suspects are being investigated, it is important to clarify that the suspects were not arrested in Ifelodun or any part of Kwara. No security agency, including the Army, ever reported such arrests in Kwara. They were reportedly arrested in Auchi, Edo State. Further details are awaited for more clarity,” the government said in a statement by the Commissioner for Communications, Bolanle Olukoju.

It added: “Indeed, no State Government has the power to arm anyone with AK-47. Neither did the individuals mention that Kwara State Government gave them any weapon. The Ifelodun Local Government Authority, for its part, has clarified that the security van was given to the vigilantes initially deployed in Ifelodun to strengthen existing security.

“These vigilantes have since left Ifelodun. However, the LGA had repeatedly complained to relevant authorities that its van was not returned to its pool.  To win the war against banditry and other violent crimes, we urge enhanced interagency coordination, intelligence sharing, and cooperation amongst the security agencies.

“As the security forces are probing the development, we urge people, especially online media platforms and bloggers, to avoid biased assimilation of information or misrepresent things, because such behaviour poses existential threat to human life and public peace.”

Meanwhile, the Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the situation as disturbing, weighty, and a grave national security concern that has now placed the  State on the national spotlight for the wrong reasons.

Chairman of Kwara PDP, Isa Bawa Adamu, in a press conference stated that the development places an enormous burden of explanation squarely on the doorstep of the state government.

“We therefore call on the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to treat the situation in Kwara State as a matter of urgent national concern. A comprehensive federal investigation must be carried out into the confessions of the arrested criminals, particularly their claims that the Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq–led Kwara State Government sponsored and supported their criminal activities,” the PDP in Kwara said.