THE BATTLE BETWEEN MORALITY, LEGALITY, INTEREST AND COMMON PLACE.

Arc. Bankat, FCT.

May 1, 2018 (Worker’s day)

The NBA sternly reacts to intimidation yesterday, April 30, 2018 in Abuja.

The Bar Association in Nigeria took an uncommon stand at a magistrate court yesterday in Abuja, where the brother of Senator Dino Melaye and two of their colleagues, lawyers, where brought for hearing.

An unusual appearance made by a SAN, Chief (Dr.) Mike Ozhekome was notable as he, in company of the Chairmen of the Abuja and Ikeja branches amongst other top lawyers of the association stormed the court to resist a show of tyranny.

Several trucks of fully Armed, battle ready police men were in the court claiming to be on a “special operation” to witness and dictate the proceedings for obvious reasons.
A confrontation was made when those police men initiated harassment asking the lawyers and others present, to vacate the premises.

The Chief Magistrate denied issuing an instruction to shackle the defendants in handcuffs from the prison and the Prisons’ Authorities said at some point, it was expedient for them to reject the defendants as there was “NO CHARGE”, and they were kept in custody for five days without same and what that implies is that there was no “charge number” to present in court.

This is a total show of abuse and tyranny and for a SAN to appear in as low as a magistrate court to protest, then the practice of the rule of law and democracy has just further been raped.

Yahaya Bello’s Kogi.

Kogi, a State where salaries are still owed and no additional infrastructure in place could afford a failed exercise of recalling a Senator handcuffed on his hospital bed during the process that went ahead to cost over N5billion to initiate and execute. What a shame!
Now that we have fully Armed police men going after politicians, lawyers and civilians while the herdsmen are still on the prowl without a firm resistance, then we can safely assume where we will be at the extension of this rule.

SAVE NIGERIA GROUP (SNG)

The “Save Nigeria Group” a socio-economic group who organized a protest that ran for days and began on Monday, January 2, 2012 for similar reasons of the fuel-subsidy etc. Which this same govt (then in opposition), claimed was a scam until we are now hearing the same guys are paying again in Trillions of naira, have now been “technically” defeated and decimated just like the Boko Haram too. Their protest was carried out in Kano, Ojota (Lagos), Abuja and the Nigerian High Commission in London, characterized by civil disobedience, Strike actions, demonstrations and online activism for an entire period of 12 days (Jan 2 – Jan 14, 2012).

Reasons for the protest:

1) Removal of subsidy on petroleum products.
2) 120% increase in price of petrol. (N97)
3) corruption in Govt and public service.
4) inhuman treatment of Nigerians by govt and security agencies
5) High rate of poverty.

Now, tell which of these elements and even more isn’t present today.

16 deaths were recorded nationwide in Lagos, Maiduguri, Ilorin and Gusau.

They (Woke Soyinka, Tunde Bakare, Reverend Fr. Ejike Mbaka, Femi Falana etc) are SILENT now and their claws are hidden but to be fair to them, Will this Government and it’s constant show of brute force on helpless civilians allow such a protest even occur in the first place. Charly Boy and Co. Were Teargassed. Tuface Idibia was threatened at the DSD headquarters, The Shiites were eliminated at the arrest of El-Zakzaky and live ammunition was used at their gathering in Abuja recently. The IPOB boys have been sent on a vacation following the “python dance” order. Senators Dino Melaye and Shehu Sani are facing an allegation for murder while El-Rufai is at the liberty of demolishing his opposition’s properties. It goes on and on.

It is a shame again!!

Now the President has gone out there to the US to sign up on a deal that freely puts back money into the pockets of Americans when over here, we are told to endure the braces as there is no hope for the common man yet again. He signed a deal that allows for an export of agro-products and services into Nigeria which simply means, he has freely created more jobs for the Americans Inspite of the claim for a “green revolution” in Nigeria as contained in Audu Ogbeh’s roadmap to securing an alternative to the huge dependence on our petroleum resources. The President likewise signed a deal for the importation of Military equipments at a rate that give the US govt a 48% net profit for items that will arrive in 2020. Meanwhile, there is a cry from our security agencies for being gravely underfunded currently with a shortage of personnel.

We are in deep, perilous times.

This government has made me become a free journalist as my training as an Architect seems to occupy the hind seat in response to the gruesome economy and security. At least, I can practice this one from the comfort of my couch.

Good evening my fellow strugglers and may God save us all.

Arc. Bankat, FCT.

May 1, 2018. (Worker’s day)

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THE BATTLE BETWEEN MORALITY, LEGALITY, INTEREST AND COMMON PLACE – ARC. FENTAH BANKAT