Uzokwe's Searchlight


Tafa Balogun may have been relieved of his position but that is not enough. He must be prosecuted and if found guilty, sacked and jailed for a long time.
Monday, January 31, 2005



Alfred Obiora Uzokwe

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PRESIDENT OBASANJO'S AMBIVALENCE ON TAFA BALOGUN



arch 2004 - Nigeria's former police boss was in the United States on official visit. In Atlanta Georgia, a reception was organized in his honor, attracting quite a good number of Diasporan Nigerians. Some went to hear him talk about his plans to stem the tide of crime, which always seemed to spike during the Christmas period when Nigerians in the Diaspora visit the country in droves. Others merely went to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic police boss that was revered by all in police circles.


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Addressing the crowd later, Mr. Balogun averred that most of the security experiences of Nigerians in the Diaspora were caused by "portentous display of wealth whenever they went to Nigeria on visit". He then urged them to "play a low key" each time they were visiting Nigeria "either for business or pleasure"

The truth is that this author disagreed with the premise of the above admonition. "Portentous display of wealth" was not a very good excuse for the rising trend in crime in Nigeria. Balogun should have been talking about steps he was taking to combat crime rather than blame it on Nigerians in the Diaspora. Nevertheless, asking people to play a low key sounded reasonable. It was like a fatherly advice from someone poised to rid Nigeria of criminal elements and protect the citizenry.

Knowing what we now know about this two-faced public servant, one can only marvel at his audacious hypocrisy! A man that was admonishing hardworking Nigerians in the United States for "portentous display of wealth" was himself "portentously" and illegally amassing stupendous wealth at the expense of the same Nigerians. He was taking the country to the cleaners, sucking her dry and stashing away billions in the process. His actions are reminiscent of the shenanigans of Nigeria's ex-military rulers. It goes to reinforce the belief that Nigeria is a nation where the call to duty is deemed a call to unlawful enrichment. Babangida got away with it and has a host of choice properties and dizzying bank accounts to show for it. General Buhari and Abdulsalami did the same and are sitting pretty in their respective homes even though their military salaries could never afford what they currently live on. General Abacha died atop the gold mine he acquired at the expense of suffering Nigerians. The jury is still out on how the mammoth Otta farm was financed and how the president has managed to be reaping the dizzying monthly dividend he admitted to getting from the farm. The list goes on.

Frankly speaking, Mr. Balogun's actions did not come as surprise to this writer. The real surprise is the fact that he was caught in office; that part is un-Nigerian because Nigerian white-collar criminals normally serve out their terms in office and then retire with hill top mansions, personal jets and more money than they could ever finish in a lifetime. Is Tafa Balogun's apprehension, midway into his tenure, a sign of good things to come for Nigeria? Is it possible that this government has become serious about apprehending and prosecuting white and blue-collar criminals? Not so according to the latest article on the January 28 issue of the Daily Independent Online. In an article titled: Balogun may escape EFCC probe, the paper alleged that "Aso Rock may have ordered the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to meanwhile stop further investigation of retiring Inspector General of Police (IG) Tafa Balogun" It further stated that "President Olusegun Obasanjo decided on the [that] line of action following pressure from influential Nigerians�"If the above story is true, then the president's ambivalence and double standards with respect to fighting crime has come to the fore once again. Nigerians witnessed this double standard at the outset of this administration when the president declared that there would be no scared cows. Not long after that declaration, he started backtracking and eventually stopped talking about sacred cows. It is as though white-collar crimes will always go unpunished in Nigeria, especially as long as this government is in office.

The question on the lips of most Nigerians about the president's seeming treatment of Balogun with levity is: why so? Knowing what the president now knows about his police chief, why did he provide an honorable exit for him? Why did he allow him to retire, instead of simply discharging him? What message is the president trying to send to other would-be Baloguns? The president's actions simply play into the hands of people who believe that the man did him some favors during the 2003 elections and so he is returning the favor. Some still feel that the widespread PDP "wins" were not without the complicity of men in uniform while Balogun looked away or feigned ignorance. We have been hearing confessions after confessions about the massive rigging of the 2003 elections. This happened in a country that supposedly has a police force!

Whether there is a quid pro quo here or not, this writer believes that the only way the president can dispel this belief is by actually condemning the IG's actions publicly. He should then discharge him outright and hand him over for prosecution. This will not only clear the president of the charges of quid pro quo but will serve as a deterrent to other Nigerians and lend the much-needed credence to his mantra of "no sacred cows"

Having said the above, it must be pointed out that the disgraced IG was not all hot air. He had intelligence in abundance. With a master's degree obtained from one of Nigeria's foremost universities, as well as a law degree to go with it, there is no gainsaying the fact that he is easily the most intelligent Inspector General of police that Nigeria ever had. He put out a multi-point program for the Nigerian police, including "operation fire for fire", which from all indications, had a positive, albeit small, effect on crime.

He is also ample in size. At a height in excess of 6-feet and more than two hundred and thirty pounds in weight, he was the 100-pound gorilla, easily noticeable in any setting. He knew he had an intimidating personality and never failed to use it according to those close to him. Those who came in contact with him therefore revered him and that helped him push some of his programs.

Apart from size and intelligence, he was also a trusted confidant of the president of Nigeria. He was even entrusted with billions of naira, during the 2003 electioneering campaign, to use in prosecuting the election. It is believed that all this influenced the part he played during the elections. He wittingly or unwittingly looked away while local businessmen and people of their ilk doctored election results, inexorably handing undeserved victory to the PDP. He probably felt he was duty bound to help the party prevail.

In the end though, Tafa Balogun lacked integrity, he lacked probity and honesty. He was as soiled as the corruption-prone Nigerians he was supposed to be apprehending and prosecuting. As providence would have it though, he eventually fell on his own sword, singing a pre-mature nunc dimitis when he could have been a knight in shining armor for Nigerians.

Tafa Balogun may have been relieved of his position but that is not enough. He must be prosecuted and if found guilty, sacked and jailed for a long time. Also, in fairness to the man, he is not the only one that has embezzled Nigeria's money. People of his ilk are all over Nigeria living the good life; what is the president going to do about it? He once asked Nigerians to show him the military leaders that embezzled money and he would prosecute them. To that I said, the evidence is all over the place. Some of the former military leaders have jets and choice homes all over the world. Clearly, their military salaries could not have afforded that. There is therefore ample circumstantial evidence to take them all to court along with Balogun.

Mr. President should seize this moment and shed the stereotype he has created for himself as far as fighting crime is concerned. He should shake off the shackles of ambivalence, come down from the fence he is sitting on and identify with the masses. This is the time for him to toe the path of honor. Nigerians are waiting and watching.

HERE I STAND