To put it bluntly, I am against the Federal Government of Nigeria’s decision to drop the three-count terrorist allegation the Defence Intelligence Agency had filed against Alhaji Bello Bodejo through the office of the Attorney General of the Federation.

Based on credible intelligence inputs, Bello was detained some months ago for allegedly supporting, funding, and overseeing the actions of terrorists who have been ruthlessly generating chaos in public spaces and endangering human lives in Nasarawa State and other regions of the nation.

In light of this, he was prosecuted and tried in the Nigerian Federal High Court division. The judge dismissed his lawyer’s initial request for bail, but remarkably—and without providing an explanation—the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, ordered the withdrawal of his proceedings.

It bothered me that Bello’s charges would be dropped so quickly even though the Terrorism Act had been used against him in his previous trial, proving he had a case to answer. Now that it is known how Godejo Bello’s deliberate acts and involvement had helped and abetted killings and other sorts of horrific crimes under the excuse of cattle grazing throughout Nigeria, his charges against him have been dropped.
Was this not an indication that someone was politically enforcing the letter of the law at the expense of others, so tarnishing the integrity of our new national anthem?

A few months later, Senator Bola Tinubu became the new president of Nigeria, and preparations were made to free Sunday Igboho, whose charges were the same as Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s. However, Mazi Kanu remains in DSS custody despite court orders to transfer him to the federal government’s Kuje Correctional Facility. Then, for reasons that are unknown to the law, the Federal Ministry of Justice, led politically by Lateef Fagbemi, dropped terrorism charges against the head of the Miyetti Allah fraternity one day after the President’s first anniversary in office.

No habitational enclave in Nigeria has escaped the horrific, roving, unprovoked, and well-planned attacks by Fulani Cattle breeders, and no strong legal measures have been implemented to stop these cruel practices. Therefore, if citizens cannot be treated justly and equally, where is the sacredness of our recently reinstated national anthem?

This country must now acknowledge that, in trying to uphold and preserve the principles of civility, security, and good governance, she cultivated the weeds that have been outgrowing her true crops.

All things considered, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his fundamental human rights are being deliberately oppressed by the DSS for the duration of his incarceration and solitary confinement, which goes against the legal ethics of prosecutorial procedures. Our new national anthem is now our pride and glory, setting an example for our kids to follow. However, we shouldn’t expect anything different from the status quo unless we drastically alter the values of honesty in our interactions with one another, which the new anthem captures.

The one sociopolitical stigma still striking at the core of Nigeria’s drive for excellence, economic loftiness, and vigour is corruption.

CEO of ECK Foundation, Chief Dr. Emeka Kalu.