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Malu on Odi: Should an officer obey unlawful orders?
 

ANNOUNCE THIS VIEWPOINT TO YOUR FRIENDS!
 Wednesday, January 26, 2000



 Emmanuel Uzo Obi
 [email protected]


 




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"We don't feel too comfortable being called to assist the Police. In normal times, Police are used. When it goes beyond them, the MOPOL comes in, in a high handed manner. In the future,equip the Police. Let them do the job for which they are paid��Don't call us to go on this type of operation. There are people who are trained for it."---Victor Malu, Major General, COAS, Nigerian Army.

This statement credited to General Malu is an open indictment of his Commander-in-Chief and tallies with the views of most people who have spoken and written on this.

My problem however with the whole matter is this;should an officer obey unlawful orders given by his boss? Suppose President Obasanjo ordered the Army to destroy Lagos today, should that order be carried out?

This brings up the question of responsibility am not quite sure what the Nigerian constitution defines as the roles of the army, I believe this is a question the National Assembly ought to consider. Suppose an incumbent loses and election and refuses to step down, rallies the army to his support and suspends the national assembly?

In my opinion, Malu's open indictment of his boss should not be brushed aside. We need a solution to this problem which may escalate in magnitude in the future.

When the Choba rape scandal involving the army came up, President Obasanjo was quick to rush to the defense of the army without any thorough investigation. When all the recent happenings are put in perspective, it is clear something is definitely wrong.

Again, I am not quite sure of the propriety of the Chief of Army Staff being too visible in a civilian dispensation. One would have thought only the Defense Minister and Chief of Defense Staff ought to be speaking on such matters.

Should Victor Malu resign his position as COAS? Before the army was deployed, Victor Malu must have made his views known to his boss.

An answer ought to be found to this Odi question, as experience ought to be our best teacher.

Emmanuel Uzo Obi
North Carolina




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