Umar: FG Must Unravel Daura’s Motives in the Interest of Nigeria’s Democracy

Shola Oyeyipo

Former military governor of Kaduna State, Col Abubakar Dangiwa Umar (rtd), has called on the Federal Government to subject the sacked Director-General, Department, State Security (DSS), Alhaji Lawal Daura, to further interrogations.

Noting that Daura’s sack was long overdue and not unexpected, Umar, in a press statement Friday, tasked government to seek further clarifications on the motives behind his actions and explanations on what he tagged his “crazy maneuvers.”

According to Umar, “In the interest of our democracy, in order to guard against unexpected threats and conspiracies, the action taken by the acting president must not stop halfway. The government should seek to discover the motives as well as the explanation for some of those crazy maneuvers, many of which simply beggars belief.”

Highlighting areas where urgent clarifications are required, he said they include: “Where and in what condition are all the assets handed over to Lawal Daura by the immediate past DG, DSS, Mr. Ita Ekpenyong? What are the reasons why Lawal Daura deployed DSS operatives and prevented EFCC personnel from searching the residences of former D-G, DSS, Mr Ekpenyong and former DG, NIA, Mr Oke?

“What is the explanation for the raid on the farm belonging to Ibrahim Magu, Chairman, EFCC, which raid led to loss of lives? Was it not true that Lawal Daura moved to seize and appropriate over forty three million US dollars NIA funds if he was not prevented from doing so by the National Security Adviser?

“Why did Lawal Daura continuously and in blatant defiance of the president send false reports to the Nigerian Senate that frustrated the confirmation of Ibrahim Magu as substantive Chairman of the EFCC? Why did he continue to ignore court orders allowing several people detained by him to be released on bail?”

Umar said though Daura’s summary dismissal came as a big surprise to many people as it contradicted the world order, but that the former DSS DG deserved the action taken against him by the acting president.

“In the last three years, Lawal Daura had marched from one audacious act of impunity to another; had rudely defied the president, had routinely ignored court orders and seemed all but successful in carving out, for himself, a government within a government in Nigeria.

“There was hardly any observer of the turbulent Nigerian political scene over the last several years who still believed that Lawal Daura was subject to any laws not to speak of official code of behavior.

“But on Thursday, the 7th of August, 2018, Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo signed a terse, two paragraph letter telling Lawal Daura that he has been dismissed from office. Not only that, Professor Osinbajo also ordered Lawal Daura be arrested and remanded in police custody.

“Given all the distress created by the actions of Lawal Daura and those caused through his refusal to act, the decision to sack him did not come a moment too soon,” he maintained.