The recent raid of the home of Hon. Eziuche Ubani, the Commissioner for Works, Abia State, by security agents calls to memory the pain visited on Nigerians in the dark, terrible days of dictatorship. The manner they invaded his home and the way they conducted their business that night speaks volume of the halo of fascism that has gripped the Nigerian socio-political space. Ubani, a former editor with Thisday newspapers and former member of the House of Representatives was suspected by the agents of stockpiling arms in his home and training some youths for the purpose of attacking and killing some politicians in the state.

I am not bothered by the veracity or otherwise of this claim. We have seen such, too many times too often in the past. And by Jove, why can’t our intelligence officers grow beyond this traditional charge of stock-piling of arms? Can’t there be more intelligent allegations to warrant a search of the home or office of a suspect? I am worried by the manner the security agents – a curious combination of men of DSS and soldiers gained access to the home of their target.

A disconcerted Ubani would later narrate the episode thus: “About 1 a.m, I woke up to a noise and upon checking for the source, I saw that my house had been surrounded by armed people in both mufti and military uniforms. I was with a friend, Prince. Aware of the history of violence in Aba, we didn’t open the door and so they decided to force it open but when they couldn’t, they went to the boy’s quarter and seized my driver. He was beaten to give information about my whereabouts but he refused.

“It was my friend who noticed their uniform when he went out and when they came in, they showed me a search warrant which originated from Umuahia.

“They said there was a petition of arms storing and training of young men to assassinate people in Aba, particularly those belonging to APGA, against me. I told them to get on with the search because I know I am innocent.

“The raid lasted until 6 am and during the search, they kept calling their boss that they couldn’t find anything. Before they finally left, they made note to say they found nothing incriminating and took nothing away”

There were many undercurrents prefacing the invasion of the home of the Commissioner. Again, this is not my worry. At the end of the search, the agents by themselves affirmed that nothing incriminating was found in Hon. Ubani’s home, meaning they came on a wild goose chase. This is becoming a trend under the Muhammadu Buhari government. It does appear that the nation’s security apparatchik including the police, Army and DSS have suddenly found a new pastime – fighting crime using criminally flawed processes and tactics.

It was good and normal that the security agents came with a search warrant, a legal instrument that grants them authority and legitimacy to search the property or premises of a suspect, but breaking into the property was simply criminal in itself. This particular team that searched Hon Ubani’s home should take a lesson from yet another team that searched the home of the Transition Council Chairman of Isiala Ngwa North Local Government of the same state, Hon Ginger Onwusibe. They were polite, did not beat up anybody even when their target was not at home, they did not scale the fence. Compare this with the brigandage demonstrated by the team that invaded the home of Hon. Ubani. Beating his driver, an unarmed, harmless and helpless man is not a show of civility and intelligence. It is an open display of asinine banality by persons whose duty is to protect the life of that ‘poor’ driver.

In other climes, conducting a search in anybody’s home does not and should not require beating, harassing and manhandling of the unarmed occupants of such home. The resort to violence just to arrest a ‘potentially’ violent situation is criminal. The DSS and the Chief of Army Staff should call their men to order. The Gestapo actions of these agents do not ascribe any badge of decency on their respective institutions. Nigeria is a democracy and the rule of law, not might of the gun or the gung-ho disposition of those in power, should moderate all the actions of individuals and institutions.

The normal and natural deduction is that these men are taking a cue from President Buhari who himself is gradually baring his once-hidden despotic fangs. Buhari was sold to Nigerians as a refurbished and repackaged democrat. His handlers did a damn good job of convincing Nigerians that the raw tyrant of yesterday has moulted his totalitarian skin. On national television during the Presidential Media Chat, Buhari demonstrated his inclination to dictatorship when he convicted Radio Biafra exponent, Nnamdi Kanu and former National Security Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, both of whom are undergoing trial in various courts. A President in a democracy usurped the powers and authority of the courts to convict persons who as at this day are merely suspects until convicted by courts of competent jurisdiction.

On Wednesday December 23, 2015, a Federal High Court judge had to excuse himself from hearing treason charges brought by the government against Nnamdi Kanu. Justice Ahmed Mohammed objected to the case, saying it was needless, as the federal government had repeatedly disobeyed previous court rulings.

Kanu himself told the court before commencement of the prosecution’s plea that he preferred to be in detention than being subjected to a trial, which outcome will not be respected. He said his previous trials had various outcomes that were abused or neglected by the office of the State Security Service, SSS.

Every reasonable voice in the legal profession including the Nigerian Bar Association has since condemned Buhari’s pronouncement on Kanu and Dasuki but the President cannot be bothered. His stout defence of the actions of the DSS seems to have emboldened the security men to slide deeper into the cesspit of lawlessness to enforce the law.

This grotesque display of bestiality by agents of State does Buhari more harm than good. There is only one Federal Government and he is in charge of that government. He cannot pretend not to know that he alone has the powers to rein in these militaristic zealots. For sure, the President does not want to preside over a lawless nation. If this is so, then let him act now and call the marauders to order. But first, the DSS owes Hon. Ubani an unreserved apology. That’s what decent intelligence agencies do when they misfire.

Author: KEN UGBECHIE…First published in Sun newspaper on Sunday January 10, 2016