Nigeria

[palmspringsbum]

Drug war gone burst


<span class=postbold><ul class=postlist><li> How NDLEA officers collude with barons to evade jail</li>

<li>Personnel accused of stealing exhibits, as wrong hands hijack agency</li></ul></span>

The Daily SunBy MAURICE ARCHIBONG
Saturday, February 16, 2008

She was the victim of a murder most cruel. The woman, a leading figure of the Edo Area Command of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), was pregnant at the time, and she had gone out, accompanied by four other officers, on a special assignment.

On that fateful day, the vermin they were out to intercept had somehow got wind of what was coming, and had consequently laid an ambush for the security officials. The operatives walked into the snare and were murdered in the most gruesome manner. After killing the pregnant woman, the sons of a dog disemboweled this particular victim, whose womb they ripped, removed the foetus and packed stones into that receptacle, which hitherto held a pregnancy.

Expectedly, this tragedy sent shock waves across the nation. Incensed by the dastardly murder of its officers, the NDLEA high command ordered a swoop on the village, where the criminals mortally felled the anti-drug warriors. Unfortunately, the security dragnet caught none of the criminals. In reaction to apparent frustration, the NDLEA squad nabbed the traditional ruler of the village and brought him to Lagos, where he spent some time inside a cell at the headquarters of the anti-drug agency. Since they could not hold the village chief perpetually without charge, the man was subsequently released, and the case was now as good as closed.

<span class=postbigbold>Common fate </span>

Those that are familiar with the NDLEA, say the fate of the quartet was not peculiar. In fact, four deaths translates to barely two percent of the number of NDLEA personnel killed in the line of duty since the establishment of the Agency less than 20 years ago.

Aside those killed by murderers sent by suspected drug barons, there are others that died “under mysterious circumstances,” as one respondent put it. Sources identified Mr. Akin Adebijo, once the only chartered accountant in the NDLEA, as a victim that passed on in this category.

However, NDLEA personnel are not the only victims of mysterious and unresolved deaths. Reports indicate suspects have simply disappeared after interaction with some personnel of the agency. The corpses of some suspects had also been recovered, after being allegedly murdered to ensure the misdeeds of NDLEA officers never leaked. Critics of the NDLEA are quick to cite the discovery in Onitsha of the remains of one such victim.

<span class=postbigbold>Stolen exhibit</span>

Then there is the alleged stealing of some 168, 400 euros belonging to a drug suspect. NDLEA operatives had stormed the man’s home in the Maryland area of Lagos, and after a search, discovered 5kg of substances suspected to be cocaine. The substances and money in different currencies, including 168, 400 (roughly N20 million), were seized as exhibits and the suspected baron was arrested. But, when the man was arraigned in court there was no mention of the money. The defendant raised an alarm over his missing euros, much to the disgrace of the NDLEA, which now appeared as the accused, an embarrassment to the nation. This was not the first time that invaluable exhibits would disappear after being seized by the NDLEA.

Inside sources revealed some officers actually steal hard drugs to sell or recycle. In other words, NDLEA personnel charged with making drug dealing impossible had themselves turned drug barons! Shame. NDLEA staff are not only accused of stealing suspects’ property, some officers or affiliates of the Agency have been linked to a longstanding scam that enabled convicted drug dealers to evade jail term. This became so rampant that some critics say the NDLEA could well pass for the National Drug Law Evasion Agency. Furthermore, what a substance was, after chemical analyses by NDLEA officials had also become unstable, evocative of some radioactive element. One day, after examination, powdery substances could prove positive to test for cocaine; the following day, the “same” substance could prove negative. Such is the level of “mago-mago” at NDLEA for you.

Welcome to the NDLEA, where within a six-year period, one individual benefited from over 40, out of 73, international trips available to all officers of the agency.

<span class=postbigbold>Shame outside, broken inside</span>

The stench effusing from the NDLEA make many workers actually ashamed of identification with that body. It is true that for intelligence purposes, some officers are safer in mufti, when on special operations but there also those staff of this agency that would rather not be found clad in NDLEA uniforms because the agency is now viewed as an epitome of fraud.

<span class=postbigbold>Aided to escape punishment</span>

For example, over 30 drug convicts evaded jail terms through connivance of personnel of the NDLEA. According to sources close to the NDLEA, “unknown prison officials ‘signed’ for the convicts from the courts.” The long and short of this is that locating these felons would be a Herculean, if not outright impossible, task because ghosts “signed” for their release from the court, going by what NDLEA officials want the nation to believe.

After it came to light that two convicts were roaming free, when they should be cooling their heels in prison, the Chairman/Chief Executive (CCE) of the NDLEA, Alhaji Ahmadu Giade had ordered an audit of drug convicts in 2006 to confirm if any truly evaded jail. Like other Nigerians, Giade was staggered by the result of that investigation, which revealed that 96 out of that year’s total of 143 convicts never got to prison! Further perusal also brought to the fore that in the previous year (2005), over 100 convicts had also been helped to stay out of prison.

Reliable sources indicate the NDLEA sought to absolve its officers of blame in this regard, pointing accusing fingers instead at some prosecutors of the agency and the defense counsel. However, speculation is rife that without the connivance of NDLEA affiliates, it would be impossible for court clerks and prison officials to enable convicts dodge their term. Over 10 of the agency’s prosecutors were fingered as colluding with wardens and defence counsels to subvert justice, and there were plans to advise the Federal Government to “formally bring to the attention of the NBA the misconduct of relevant defense counsels involved in various cases of jail evasion.” It is doubtful the NBA was ever informed of this grave act on the part of supposed learned men.

In fact, another probe by NDLEA Inspectorate Directorate in 2002 had turned up staggering looting of that agency’s coffers to the tune of N10 million via the use of ghost workers. This probably led to a damning report on the agency, which claimed: “The NDLEA’s financial system defies all accounting standards.” Consequently, a complete restructuring of the Agency’s Account Department had been advocated, but it remains unclear whether this was carried out. This alleged looting took place, while operations staff groaned under want of funds to carry out vital assignments. Although the NDLEA has an average recurrent expenditure of close to N2 billion in most years, some directorates and outposts of that agency are left without stipends to facilitate their operation for as many as six months sometimes. Stiff penalties were subsequently recommended against any one involved in that fraud, however, insiders revealed it is doubtful if any punishment was meted out to those identified.

Aside officers’ despicable involvement in jail racketeering, staggering financial fraud, allegations of stealing of suspects’ property, lying under oath, selling of drugs seized from traffickers now trail the NDLEA like a shadow that simply cannot disappear. The agency’s personnel stand accused of sundry misconduct, some bordering on the insidious, yet some of those suspected of gross misdemeanor continue to call the shot at this foremost cell of the nation’s intelligence organ. As a result, the image of NDLEA has really gone under. The impression is that, where the body was not quickly rescued, given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and saved, the corpse of this agency would come floating to the surface sooner than later. This is one of the reasons many officers appear ashamed to even be identified with the NDLEA: Suddenly, uniforms of textile fabric now appear heavier than lead, too much of a burden to carry.

Such is the predicament of the NDLEA that even what should appear like success on its part comes back to haunt this agency. A classic example of this is the volume of hard drugs seized by the NDLEA at select international airports. "Narkotikos," such as cocaine and heroine are not produced in Nigeria. As commonly known, Nigeria is a transit point for most couriers. So, each seizure of cocaine or heroine also translates as failure on the agency’s part. It simply means that NDLEA personnel failed in not intercepting the shipment when it entered the country in the first place. Thus, apprehending drug couriers on their outward trip now seems like medicine after death, reinforcing observers’ belief that Nigeria is also slipping into the status of consumer nation.

On a positive note, many of the developments at the NDLEA have not gone unnoticed, or unreported. Several media, one way or another exposed deep-seated corruption at this body to the point that former President Obasanjo ordered a probe of the agency. There could be no exaggerating the fact that NDLEA is sick. This Agency needs detoxification or outright blood transplant. Unfortunately, so-called principalities of the agency are hell-bent on frustrating any attempt to heal Nigeria of drug-related maladies, which manifest in various ways.

<span class=postbigbold>Not so artful dodger</span>

Speculation is rife that NDLEA fat cats are no longer at ease. Critics said: “They are distracted because one of the anti-corruption agencies has turned its searchlight on them.”

The evasive conduct of NDLEA officials fueled speculation that all is not well with the agency. Aside countless telephone calls, three visits within six weeks to the Shaw Road, Ikoyi headquarters of the NDLEA failed to yield clarifications sought by Saturday Sun. During one of these trips, Saturday Sun was told that the agency’s Press Officer (PO), Mr. Mitchel Ofoyeju Jarikre, had accompanied the Chairman/Chief Executive on a trip outside Lagos. We later learnt, through a phone call to the press officer minutes after leaving the NDLEA headquarters that a team led by Giade was on a tour to supervise burning of exhibits seized by anti-drug officers.

Saturday Sun had returned to the NDLEA complex the following week, when the press officer said the team would be back in Lagos, but we were told the PO was not in the office. Again, we had spoken with the PO on phone immediately after leaving NDLEA premises. He politely informed us that the chairman was not around and advised that we wait till a major press conference that was being proposed. The following week, we were back at the NDLEA hoping to meet the PO but again, the man could not be seen. We called Ofoyeju on phone and he suggested that we leave a questionnaire behind. He said he would send a response via e-mail. This was more than a month ago. To date, after numerous calls as reminder, the PO sent nothing.

<span class=postbigbold>Dead a dodo</span>

In its promising days, the NDLEA even established a Marine Unit. But, 12 years after NDLEA Marine Unit was launched, that section is as good as dead. Saturday Sun’s visit to many outposts, including the Nigerian border areas of Doro-Baga and Daba-Masara on the fringes of Lake Chad in the northeastern extreme of Borno, confirmed that the few maritime vessels procured by NDLEA to prosecute its anti-drug war in the waters had since packed up. However, it must be noted that this fate is similar to the marine units of other paramilitary bodies.

<span class=postbigbold>Greed as NDLEA enemy </span>

The NDLEA gets the bulk of its funding for recurrent and capital expenditure from the national budget. However, the Agency is in collaboration with United Nations Office for Drug and Crime (UNODC) towards the provision of infrastructure and training support at the Jos-based Regional Academy. Furthermore, the US and British Governments as well as the German Embassy also lend strong funding support for logistics, programmes and training.

This simply means that transforming the agency would need sustained determination, going by the observation of one respondent, who stressed, “My friend, the common denominator in the war on drugs is money; because staggering sums of money is involved, some people will do anything. Some would not want to be transferred or promoted out of their position after serving at one post for 13 years.” Our checks revealed that one man had served as NDLEA director of finance for 13 years, but it is not clear if he is the only director that has held one post for such a lengthy period of time.

<span class=postbigbold>A house divided </span>

The NDLEA cannot stand for long under its present leadership, some of whom are said to have climbed a tree beyond its leaves, as the Yoruba would say. In and out, the NDLEA is fractious, and the shards are conspicuous everywhere. The walls have cracks and all sorts of reptiles have crept in. Thus, the walls have not just ears but have grown eyes as well.

<span class=postbigbold>Incompetence </span>

The suspicion that an increasing number of Nigerians abuse narcotic drugs takes on added meaning when viewed against the rising wave of gory crimes in many settlements. A case in point is the apparent slaughter of NDLEA operatives in Edo years ago. In the same vein, the militants operating in the Niger Delta and their counterparts that have made the Lagos-Badagry Expressway a killing field for commuters for many years, could not be carrying out their murderous acts after ingestion of milkshake or chocolate bars.

The fear is further worsened by statistics linking commercial vehicle drivers to drug abuse. This virtually explains the rising number of fatal accidents that claim thousands of lives each year in Nigeria. In October 2000, during the tenth anniversary lecture at the Centre for Research and Information on Substance Abuse (CRISTA) in Jos, Professor A. O. Odejide of the University of Ibadan (UI), had revealed that about 53 percent of commercial vehicle drivers use drugs or consume alcohol, which he believed played a great role in road disasters across Nigeria.

Professor Odejide, Director of the Postgraduate Institute for Medical Research and Training, College of Medicine, UI at the time, further added that there were over 30 million amphetamine-related drugs junkies worldwide, and that more than 12 million people were hooked on sedatives across the world, aside millions of others that are addicted to cannabis.

Revelations made three years ago, by Mr. Antonio Mazzitelli; head of the UNODC in West and Central Africa, makes the picture bleaker. According to Mr. Mazzitelli, who succeeded Sir Anthony Buckingham to that body’s office in Nigeria in the mid-1990s, South American drug cartels have started to use West Africa as a hub for smuggling operations. Mazzitelli had told the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that some 40 tonnes of cocaine had been seized in the region. Mazzitelli identified lax policing in some West African nations as the main attraction for traffickers.

"It is a trend that we have already noticed," Mazzitelli told that station’s “World Today” programme. To buttress his view that the cartels have already moved into West Africa," Mazzitelli added: "Recorded seizures in the Atlantic Ocean for cocaine, mostly in ships coming from West Africa, account for something in the range of 40 tonnes, in 18 months alone."

The UNODC chief said that logistically the region was a very "attractive transit point" for major cartels. "Drug traffickers realize that if they ship drugs directly from Latin America on ships... towards Europe they risk seizures." So they prefer to unload their shipments somewhere on the midway and load it on other ships that are coming from non-suspicious locations like West African ports," Mazzitelli said.

Following reports of sundry scam and misconduct on the part of the NDLEA, the rising wave of crime and fear of de-certification of Nigeria by international anti-drug organizations, the federal government set up a committee to study the agency with a view to overhauling it in order to enhance efficiency. The presidential committee to address failings and redress the NDLEA had subsequently sat. Interestingly, the committee, which consisted of four lawyers, two of them senior advocates, heard, travelled the country and saw, and consequently advised, based on their terms of reference.

Unfortunately, as has come to appear the norm in Nigeria, where huge sums of money is spent to convene a think-tank, only for that body’s report to be swept under the carpet, nothing has happened ever since, even as findings indicate the situation of the NDLEA has been worsening in every sphere through the years.

<span class=postbigbold>A report discarded</span>

Now, one year, after a presidential committee for the reform of the NDLEA turned in its findings and recommendations, neither a White Paper has been issued nor action taken to implement any aspect of the report. This month, February 2008, marks 12 months since the seven-man panel instituted by the Presidency submitted its report, after seating for three months. To do a meticulous job, members of the Presidential Committee travelled across the country at great cost to the national treasury. Reliable sources say the committee’s assignment cost the nation over N25 million. However, the financial implication of the national assignment pares to little compared with what Nigeria stands to lose, with the continued non-implementation of the committee’s findings and recommendations, for the NDLEA stinks.

Retired Justice Gilbert Obayan was Chairman of the panel, known as the National Committee for the Reform of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Prince Ben Ikani was Secretary of the body, whose other members comprised similarly distinguished professionals including an Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Tunji Alapini, Mr. Bernard Hom, Chief J. I. Ojeh, Hassan Liman, Otunba Funso Owoyemi. Ben Ikani (SAN), Bernard Hom (SAN), Justice Obayan and Hassan Liman were the lawyers in the team.

Chief Bayo Ojo (SAN), the then Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), constituted the committee via a memo dated October 17, 2006. Chief Ojo was also on hand to inaugurate the committee on October 20, 2006 in Abuja. Going by a remark by Ojo during the Committee’s launch, then President Olusegun Obasanjo ordered and approved the establishment of the seven-man body, bearing in mind that the NDLEA, “as a member of the intelligence community and a strategic law enforcement institution, has an important role to play in improving the image and international standing of the country.”

According to Ojo, while then President Obasanjo acknowledged “that the Agency has undoubtedly achieved success in its fight against drug trafficking, somewhere along the line, certain bad eggs and undesirable elements had infiltrated the institution, overwhelming it by different forms of inappropriate behaviours." Favouritism, nepotism, bribery, greed, "collusion with drug barons, recycling of hard drugs, mal-administration and other vices” were listed among the unwelcome conduct. On the other hand, the committee warned: “the system as it is, in the Agency with regard to the administrative and operational machinery, however needs to be improved upon and all the laid down procedures rigidly followed.

<span class=postbigbold>Nigeria’s drug war</span>

In Nigeria, the drug war dates back more than 70 years, going by The Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, No. 18 of 1935. That statute was amended by Act 52 of 1992, through Decree No. 19 of 1966 called the Indian Hemp Decree. Further modifications followed in 1984 with the promulgation of the Special Tribunal (Miscellaneous Offences) Decree, to the NDLEA Decree 48, 1989. Thus, it was some 54 years after The Dangerous Drugs Ordinance of 1935 that the NDLEA came into existence via Act 1989, No. 48, Cap 253 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

It is worth noting that the “Indian hemp Law” of 1960 stipulated death sentence or life imprisonment for cultivation or importation of weed and a minimum of 10 year jail term per any smoker of marijuana. However, a 1975 amendment proved too lenient prescribing 10 years for hemp farmer and N200 fine or six months jailterm for user. The result was widespread abuse-leading to the 1984 amendment, which though enacted on July 6, was given retroactive effect to December 31, 1983. The law called for capital punishment for “Category A” substances offences. Category A drugs include cocaine and heroine.

The NDLEA started out with three Zonal Commands: Lagos, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Kano and Port Harcourt. Eight Chief Executives have led the Agency since inception, and two of them occupied the helm for 10 years out of the 19-year history of the anti-drug organization.

<span class=postbigbold>NDLEA as a musical chair</span>

Although the NDLEA is akin to a musical chair, given its high turnover of chiefs, Mr. Ilya Lokadang, who was in office for barely 60 days, has gone down as holder of the record for the most ephemeral tenure of all NDLEA chairmen. Lokadang’s record fleeting leadership lasted from May to July 2000. Lokadang is closely followed by Mr. Bappah Jama’re, a former Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), who was NDLEA boss for barely 120 days, from October 1993-February 1994: The disappearance of 12 wraps of hard drugs, cost Jama’re his job. It is noteworthy that the substances were stored in the Exhibit Room of the NDLEA, when they vanished.

The founding head of the NDLEA was Mr. Fidelis Oyakhilome. Mr. Oyakhilome, who retired as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police, was appointed on January 12, 1990. He was removed barely 14 months later. Prior to his removal, Oyakhilome was embroiled in a face-off with a Lagos-based socialite, Jennifer Madike. Mr. Fulani Kwajafa was subsequently appointed in Oyakhilome’s place on January 12, 1991. Mr. Kwajafa, a Commissioner of Police (CP) held office for 30 months until he was removed in 1993.

In April 1994, Major General Musa Bamaiyi was appointed NDLEA Chairman and he held that post till December 1998, when Ogbonnaya Onovo, a DIG, stepped in as replacement. Mr. Onovo held office until May 2000, when Mr. Bello Lafiaji was made NDLEA chief. Lafiaji’s leadership of the agency came to an end in November 2005, when Mr. Ahmadu Giade was appointed.

<span class=postbigbold>The man Giade</span>

Giade’s critics claim the man’s highest formal education qualification is a Standard Six Certificate, which he acquired some what seems like eons ago. They are bitter that Giade, whose highest office throughout his police career was that of Assistant Commissioner (ACP), presides over an NDLEA Board, whose members include officers of the rank of Brigadier-General or its equivalent in other Armed Forces, Assistant Inspector General (AIG) of Police as well as Assistant Comptroller General (ACG) of the Customs.

Such antagonists of the Giade-led NDLEA administration are quick to stress: “This contravenes the NDLEA Act, which stipulates that the Chairman/Chief Executive (CCE) of the NDLEA, should be someone of the rank of AIG and above.” They point to “His fumbling before the House Committee on Public Relations in November 2007 as one clear example.”

Giade’s critics again: “His poor educational background explains his poor management of the agency’s leadership and material resources because a standard six certificate obtained in the 50s is obsolete. The highest appointment Giade ever held, while in the Police was as DPO, when he was a Chief Superintendent. He was retired shortly after promotion to the rank of ACP.”

The critics say nothing of all the in-service trainings Giade went through and how his non-formal education may have equalled even a first degree qualification, or more.

However, this aspect, like other facets of the critics’ claims and counter claims has to be critically discerned. It could be recalled that at least one of the former helmsmen of the NDLEA was a Commissioner of Police (CP), which shows that Giade is not the first exception to the rule, if a rule it is.

<span class=postbigbold>Self-purge, or diversionary tactic?</span>

A respectable source once said of the NDLEA: We are convinced “that the NDLEA, which is blessed with the right calibre of young and energetic staff, has enormous potentials for growth.” The question that such an assessment naturally invokes is “why then has the agency proved so incompetent?” Analysts finger greed, power struggle and outright intrigue for the agency’s plight. The NDLEA has slipped from an enviable national paramilitary service to an institution seized by incompetent hands. These suspected inept heads of the body throw up various schemes to mislead the nation, we gathered.

Perhaps the cabal’s most insidious strategy to date was the sack in March 2007 of 71 officers. Interestingly, the officers were sent home even as the agency groaned under inadequate hands. Insiders argued that some of the affected personnel actually deserved what they got, but antagonists countered that the NDLEA leadership used a few guilty ones to punish dozens of others that were perceived as potential obstacles to the selfish ambition of some. We were told the sack was hurriedly contrived as camouflage to conceal hideous motives, which include the removal of officers to confuse the nation and the world that the NDLEA, having purged itself, required no further thrashing. This submission is lent credence by revelations that those relieved of their appointments even included deceased officers of that service or others that had since disengaged from the agency. There is also at least one example, where a staff was sacked, and afterwards issued with a letter of suspension from work! That’s our NDLEA for you.

It could be recalled that the current Presidency had ordered a review of the many retrenchments that marked the dying era of the Olusegun Obasanjo administration. That directive had recommended that people wrongly robbed of their jobs be reabsorbed. Curiously, while sister agencies obeyed this Presidential order, the NDLEA chose to snub President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua on this score. Now, almost one year after that curious dismissal, proper severance benefits have not been paid to those affected.

Some of the dismissed officers were among nine operatives involved in the raid of Mr. Ikenne Onochie’s Maryland home. Incidentally, the NDLEA director who led that operation and was linked to the disappearance of the 168, 400 euros is still in service, whereas those that would not commit perjury were flushed out among the sacked workers. “He still receives his full salary but he is on suspension,” a source told Saturday Sun at NDLEA Ikoyi premises.

Reliable sources said the report of the Presidential Committee to Reform NDLEA almost disappeared, like the Okigbo Report, which allegedly indicted former military president General Ibrahim Babangida, but its “loss” was roundly resisted. Part of that report, leaked to Saturday Sun, states inter alia: “The committee is not in any doubt that an amount 168, 400 euro of the nature, which is a legitimate forfeiture to the Federal Government moved around among Gadzama, Amali, Oloruntoba and Lafiaji (former NDLEA boss).”

There are also stories that the sack was a smokescreen to blind the Nigerian government and the international community to the need to implement the report of the presidential committee. The NDLEA had quickly carried out self-cleansing to preempt a necessary and comprehensive overhaul that was to reinvent the body; some members of the cult that controls the agency spawned that red herring. To give their move some semblance of seriousness, the careers of numerous promising and outstanding officers were sacrificed. If truly, the mass dismissal was designed to serve as diversionary tactic, the government must root out those that cooked up such an evil plot.

<span class=postbigbold>Chickens come home to roost</span>

Wednesday November 28, 2007 is a date either Giade or Ipinmisho would prefer not to remember. According to various media reports, November 28 was a day of classic blunders by the CCE, NDLEA and Ipinmisho, the Agency’s Director-General, whose critics describe as also “Giade’s Secretary.” Both men had gone before the Public Complaints Committee of the House of Representatives, to justify the dismissal of 71 officers of the NDLEA in one fell swoop. In what many reporters described as “a drama of sort,” Giade failed to impress, when asked to explain his dismissal of the 71 officials. The NDLEA chief reportedly stuttered and muttered until a member of the House Complaints Committee called for ‘point of direction,’ directing Giade to hit the nail on the head. To save time, Giade was told he was free to admit an error of judgment, at which point, sources said, the NDLEA boss tried to explain that he took the action based on “Orders from Above.”

Enlivened by this curio, a member asked Giade, who could have ordered, a Chief Executive-cum-Chairman to lay off a generation of NDLEA staff. If there was such an order, why did Giade kowtow to it? Did the disengagement follow due guidelines? Were those sent home guilty of misconduct or dereliction to duty? Many questions, but Giade had no answers. The National Assembly members had also requested reports on the affected officers, which Giade could not provide, fuelling speculations that the sack was not only arbitrary but also did not follow due process. Apparently, Giade had ostensibly failed to protect his subordinates and let down the very institution he was supposed to lead. Interestingly, it was at this point, where Giade lost his voice that Ipinmisho sought to air himself. “But his presentation, too, was poorer,” according to media reports.

Unfortunately, Ipinmisho’s intervention would simply prove a nail in their coffin. Witnesses said his performance turned out worse than Giade’s when he intoned the agency could hire and fire. When asked to quote relevant sections of the agency’s Act conferring powers on NDLEA top dogs to hire or fire at will, Ipinmisho, a trained lawyer, could not provide any legal backdrop. He became dumbfounded, and like his CCE, probably began to perspire profusely in the air-conditioned chamber of the National Assembly. Like subdued dogs, with tails behind their hind legs, the duo was left to go and come to tell their tales another day.

Some critics of the NDLEA say Ipinmisho, Femi Oloruntoba, Bashir Gadzama and a few other members of the NDLEA hierarchy are the reason Giade seems to have lost his way. But even that, is debatable. Hear the lament of another respondent: “This can only happen in a country with loose leaders. It shows that in Nigeria failure is rewarded: just get yourself sacked for incompetence somewhere, and viola! you could be catapulted to a much higher office before you know it, somewhere else!”

Such antagonists say that usually, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) signs any letter appointing one to the office of director general, but in case of some people at NDLEA, it was actually signed by the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF). If this were so, it simply vindicates those critics, who say that the Obasanjo-led administration’s noise about anti-corruption and due process was nothing but hot air!

As things stand, the NDLEA is at a critical pass. Some of those that lost their jobs in inexplicable circumstances have moved on to other ventures. We actually got wind some would not want to return to the NDLEA, which has evolved into a metaphor for injustice. However, a number want a thorough, preferably, public probe of the body and circumstances surrounding the lay offs. If those that fabricated the sack did so to steal the Justice Obayan-led Panel's thunder and redirect the imminent lightening strike, it seemed a clever idea, except that they did not factor-in the media, and resilience on the part of some of their victims, who have taken the matter to the highest offices in the land, and in at least on case, to the court.