BusinessDay 07 Jan 2019

Monday 07 January 2019
12 BUSINESS DAY
C002D5556
Editorial
Publisher/CEO
Frank Aigbogun
editor
Patrick Atuanya
DEPUTY EDITORS
John Osadolor, Abuja
Bill Okonedo
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS
Fabian Akagha
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, DIGITAL SERVICES
Oghenevwoke Ighure
GENERAL MANAGER, ADVERT
Adeola Ajewole
ADVERT MANAGER
Ijeoma Ude
FINANCE MANAGER
Emeka Ifeanyi
MANAGER, CONFERENCES & EVENTS
Obiora Onyeaso
SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER
Patrick Ijegbai
CIRCULATION MANAGER
John Okpaire
DIGITAL SALES MANAGER
Linda Ochugbua
GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (North)
Bashir Ibrahim Hassan
GM, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT (South)
Ignatius Chukwu
HEAD, HUMAN RESOURCES
Adeola Obisesan
The illogic and irrationality of Operation Python Dance 3
Against the backdrop
of reported setbacks
in its war with terrorists
of Boko
Haram and Islamic
State West Africa, the Nigerian
Army on January 1 commenced
a nationwide troop deployment
ostensibly to tackle “observed
upsurge” in security challenges
ahead of the February 2019 elections.
Exercise Egwu Eke 111,
the codename for the operation
python dance, will supposedly
enable the Army to identify and
stop any attempts by groups and
individuals to cause problems
through stockpiling of arms
and similar infractions. On the
contrary, it is needless, illogical
and lacks rationality.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt General
Tukur Burutai, said Egwu
Eke 111 would run from January
1 to February 28. It seeks to stop
threats such as the formation
of ethnic militia and violence
induced by political activities.
The Army now claims there is a
proliferation of such activities
and groups that its deployment
would stop.
It sent out troops to the five
states of the South East in 2016
and 2017, claiming a multiplicity
of threats in the area during
the Yuletide. OhanezeNdigbo
and other groups in the region
dismiss claims of any unrest
or threats requiring military
intervention. There is only an
increase in population in the
Yuletide as indigenes return
home from all over the world to
celebrate with their kin. Instead,
the military invasion served as an
excuse to brutalise the populace.
The Nigerian Army now claims
the threats are nationwide. “These
challenges coupled with other
security threats across the country
such as terrorism, militancy,
kidnapping and banditry portend
that dissident group and criminal
elements could cash in on the
situation to perpetrate largescale
violence before, during and
after the 2019 general elections,”
the Army Chief stated through a
spokesman. He added, “Even in
the desert of Borno, don’t forget,
the Lake Chad basin is there,
python can also dance within the
desert.We have desert python.
So, python will dance all over the
country this time around.’’
What is the situation across the
country? Boko Haram and other
insurgencies have grown in intensity,
making Nigerialose men and
equipment on a weekly basis. Men
are refusing mobilisation, claiming
that the enemy has better ammo
and therefore too dangerous to
tackle. Expectedly, both the Nigerian
Army and the Nigeria Police
deny this. Despite the denial, the
Nigerian Police sacked more than
100 of its men for refusing mobilisation
to the warfront.
Furthermore, the governors
of Borno, Katsinaand Zamfara
have cried out about insecurity in
their domains. Gov Aminu Masari
of Katsina State lamented: “Our
state is currently under serious
siege by armed robbers, kidnappers
and armed bandits who
arrest rural people at the grassroots
at will and demand ransom
which, if not paid, they kill their
victims. Zamfara has been in a
state of siege for longer.”
Nationwide deployment of
soldiers such as Operation Python
Dance usually happens in a state
of emergency. The Governor of
Zamfara State has called for a
state of emergency in his state
given the terror of banditry and
low-intensity war by cattle rustlers.
Danger walks on both legs
in that part of the country.
Operation Python Dance 3
is troubling on many grounds.
It sends the wrong signals to
citizens. It was a colossal failure
in the South East, compelling the
Nigerian Army to effect social
responsibility actions that were
also misunderstood. Now it is going
nationwide.
First, the rationale for this action
defies logic and rationality.
Internal security is the primary responsibility
of the Nigerian Police,
not of the Army. Banditry, kidnapping
and cattle rustling are within
the province of police duties. Only
a busybody armed forces would
reduce itself to undertaking tasks
reserved for the Police and other
paramilitary forces.
While Section 217 c of the Constitution
empowers the President
to involve the Nigerian Army in
“suppressing insurrection and
acting in aid of civil authorities to
restore order when called upon
to do so by the President”, we are
not aware of the conditions “prescribed
by an Act of the National
Assembly” as the law also requires.
Nationwide deployment of soldiers
sends the signal of a state of
emergency or even a declaration
of war. The measure comes at a
time when the armed forces face
increasing questions about the
efficacy of their operations with
the many strikes of the allegedly
technically defeated Boko Haram.
Is it realistic to open many war
fronts simultaneously?
More importantly, Operation
Python Dance 3 continues the
militarization of civilian space in a
democracy. It is extremely disturbing
to have soldiers line the streets
and highways of Nigeria, starting
from the South East when the country
is not at war. The background
of a coming election makes it even
more curious and incongruous.
Nigeria does not need military
supervision of the elections. That
era ended as long ago as 1998.
There are enough structures, from
the Independent National Electoral
Commission through the
Nigerian Police and paramilitary
organs such as Civil Defence, to
handle elections. The insertion of
the military into a strictly civilian
matter such as elections is neither
logical nor warranted.
We will not join the conspiracy
theorists on the real intendment
of military deployment and the
expected beneficiaries. We call on
the Nigerian Army and the Government
to end Operation Python
Dance 3 immediately and send
the soldiers to where the nation
needs them. They have no role to
play in the forthcoming elections.
EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
Dick Kramer - Chairman
Imo Itsueli
Mohammed Hayatudeen
Afolabi Oladele
Vincent Maduka
Keith Richards
Opeyemi Agbaje
Amina Oyagbola
Bolanle Onagoruwa
Fola Laoye
Chuka Mordi
Mezuo Nwuneli
Charles Anudu
Tunji Adegbesan
Eyo Ekpo
Enquiries
NEWS ROOM
08023165438
08169609331} Lagos
08033160837 Abuja
ADVERTISING
01-2799108
08034743892
08033225506
SUBSCRIPTIONS
01-2799101
07032496069
07054563299
DIGITAL SERVICES
08026011296
www.businessdayonline.com
The Brook,
6 Point Road, GRA, Apapa, Lagos,
Nigeria.
01-2799100
Legal Advisers
The Law Union
Mission
Statement
To be a diversified
provider of superior
business, financial and
management intelligence
across platforms accessible
to our customers
anywhere in the world.
OUR Core Values
BusinessDay avidly thrives on the mainstay of our core values of being The Fourth Estate, Credible, Independent,
Entrepreneurial and Purpose-Driven.
• The Fourth Estate: We take pride in being guarantors of liberal economic thought
• Credible: We believe in the principle of being objective, fair and fact-based
• Independent: Our quest for liberal economic thought means that we are independent of private and public interests.
• Entrepreneurial: We constantly search for new opportunities, maintaining the highest ethical standards in all we do
• Purpose-Driven: We are committed to assembling a team of highly talented and motivated people that share
our vision, while treating them with respect and fairness.
www.businessdayonline.com