IT was an era Nigerians detest to remember. Then, such epithets as Kill and Go, Mad Dogs, Bloody Civilians, among others, were commonplace. And from somewhere in Ikeja, an ‘African prophet’, Fela Anikulapo Kuti, composed a matching song to eulogise the machinations of the men in uniform, who were the main actors of that epoch. He sang: “They mixed sorrow, tears and blood…”

But that era is gone. Has it?
In a way, that madness belonged to the past, because Nigerians are now treated to a new kind of social interface called Nollywood. And because entertainment means much to Nigerians, a lot of artists are enjoying media visibility. Countrymen are now routinely thrilled with showmanship.

Most Nigerians like to be given treats. In consequence, citizens accept tokens and are easily satisfied by make-believe. Drama appeals to everybody easily. Pantomime is a kind of drama that mocks the senses, just like the Germans describe jazz as music meant for the nurture of intellect, but torture of imbeciles!

The recent show by men of theDepartment of State Services (SSS), Nigeria’s version of a secret police, in Abuja, was a mixture of aspects of ancient and modern theatrics. The modernity or newness, about the harassment, intimidation and invasion of the residence of immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki; has to do with just the showmanship.

To outsiders, the movement of four pickup patrol trucks laden with SSS operatives could as well have passed as a Nollywood rehearsal or even display. But the man at the receiving end, Dasuki, was neither bemused nor entertained.

From retrospection, he seemed to know that men of theatre seldom wear uniforms and even when they adorn such uniforms, it is only for effect. Moreover, actors do not bear real arms and ammunitions. That may be why the former NSA directed the troop guarding his residence not to allow such a band of menacing men. After all, they may have reminded him of years gone by when such visits usually leave behind sorrow, tears and blood!He should know better.

It was that ancient look of the show that brought back sad memories to Nigerians. And, citizens raised their voice in unanimity to condemn the action in utter extremity of both dread and bewilderment.

Most of those that expressed alarm at the loss of civility by security agencies wondered whether the nation was relapsing to the better-forgotten era of ’Kill and go’. The complaints were legion: “It was in that fashion that they killed Kudirat Abiola”; “it is the same way they invaded Fela’s shrine”; “have they forgotten that we are now in a democracy?”; “it is a witch hunt”; “who do they want to impress?” it was as if the whole episode was choreographed to produce that compound shock on the nation.

Earlier, it was the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) that started the macabre dance to the old militaristic song that celebrated sorrow, tears and blood!

What with the serial assault on suspects of graft without depth in investigation and grasp of cast iron evidence to produce legal convictions? There is a new regime in place as such with a president that made a name out of previous high-handed infringement on people’s rights; his election must have been endorsement of the old song and its ways.

Of all interventions by individuals and organisations, that of the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) stood out. In a statement signed by the Chairman, Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, the rights group expressed outrage that “the rule of law was in danger by the operations of the secret police.” Intersociety stated that following the unpopular invasion of the residences of the immediate past NSA, Retired Col Mohammed Sambo Dasuki, by the SSS, it came to the conclusion that “the country’s rule of law and by extension; its democratic pluralistic composition are at crossroads”. Intersociety noted that the only way to address the situation was to ensure that the coercive instruments of the State are popularly forced to revert to their original democratic roles.

SSS had on Thursday 16 and Friday 17; July 2015, carried invasion operations on the residences of the trio of Retired Col Sambo Dasuki (immediate past NSA), Retired Col Bello Fadile and Mr. Gordon Obua (immediate past Chief Security Officer, CSO, to former President Goodluck Jonathan).

According to Intersociety, “most of the operations were carried out at the hours of the blue law (late evening and unofficial hours)”. The group noted that while the invasions of Col. Dasuki and Obua’s (serving senior police officer) residences were carried out on Thursday, 16th July 2015; that of Col Bello Fadile took place on Friday, 17th July 2015. SSS had in a statement explained that it acted based on “credible intelligence linking the immediate past NSA, Col. Mohammed Sambo Dasuki (Retd) with alleged plans to commit treasonable felony against the Nigerian State.”

A number of vehicles and computer sets belonging to Dasuki and Fadile, according to reports, were confiscated by the invading Secret Police. But Intersociety noted that while the SSS alleged the offense of treasonable felony (military coup or insurrection) against Dasuki, it failed to disclose criminal reasons or offenses against retired Col. Fadile and Obua.

“Holding Mr. Gordon Obua without public disclosure of criminal offense(s) he is alleged to have committed as well as detaining him for five days without trial is tantamount to ‘jungle justice or trial by ordeal.’”

Citing those as cumulative and fundamental breach of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, Intersociety added that other constitutional and statutory blunders of the invasions include, hanging on the neck of Dasuki, an offense of treasonable felony, which it said is “totally militarist and dictatorial in colour and outlook.

“It confirms our fears that Nigeria has returned to Presidential Dictatorship, where ‘treason’, ‘treasonable felony’, and ‘sedition’ are commonly and recklessly used to root out and mow down political opponents and independent voices. It is also akin to reckless use of ‘armed robbery’ and ‘kidnapping’ by the Nigeria Police Force to inflict painful torture and summary death on Nigerian citizens, hiding under ‘Police Order 237’.”

Nevertheless, the recent experiences of Dasuki and Obua presented a frightening clue to Nigerians of a regime that may wish to reenact the past. And in a bid to please a nation in search of catharsis, officials of some agencies of government might, therefore, readily abandon the narrow path of due process of investigations of offences. That way, it would take the high and easy way to a state clamp down, which is the hallmark of military regimes in the years of yore! Is it possible that what played out were instances of excesses of overzealous operatives, which lack the endorsement or approval of superior authorities from above? It is possible.

A security expert, Mr. Bonaventure Maduafokwa, feels that way. He told The Guardian that the suggestion of overzealousness holds water, stressing that if the agencies are armed with good intelligence, they would not end up embarrassing the nation and themselves as they have done so far.

Maduafokwa, who was a former Special Adviser to Anambra State Government on Security Matters, said the outcomes of recent botched operations of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Department of State Security Services (SSS) show clearly that the agencies needed to improve on their intelligence gathering.

He argued that the controversies that surrounded the attempt to search the premises of the former NSA would not have ensued if the SSS prepared the grounds properly with superior intelligence, adding that the agency ought to have collaborated with the military to avoid the obstructive encounter with the military guards, if they were engaged in a properly scheduled national security service.

He said: “The tool of intelligence is to produce results; now we have a situation where a top line former government functionary in the person of Dasuki had some military personnel guarding his house; the DSS should be aware of that before they stormed the place. It is so shocking that such an institution known for sting operations should meet a brick wall and present itself as an occupation force. This gives the impression that even (President Muhammadu) Buhari himself appears not to be really sure of the people he appoints, he should be aware of the competence of those he appoints because such embarrassment rubs off on his presidency.”

Maduafokwa contended that the critical demands of such missions under the law is that the agency should have full grasp of the constitutional breaches that warrant the attack, explaining that if credible intelligence showed that the target was planning to endanger the nation, “you can be forced to take down the building.”

He renounced the second-guessing by the SSS, saying that that was why it had to hurriedly raise a charge as if its duty includes enforcement. And as if to bear out the general belief that the security agencies may after all be carrying out their own orders to please President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB), what he said during his recent visit to the United States, was at variance with what took place back home.

Buhari disclosed that his government was examining pieces of evidence that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of some former ministers and other government officials for looting and stealing of Nigeria’s crude oil.

Surprisingly, while the former military head of state that says he has become a converted democrat was talking about a meticulous and painstaking process; the operatives were trying to perform the script of his yesteryears’ mandate. So did SSS try to assist Buhari by the show of bravado to convince the US that the regime means business?

It is not that the president found it funny or an example of national pride that some past ministers were stealing and selling Nigeria’s crude oil and pocketing the proceeds, but he spoke of the civil processes of making belief become conviction: proof!

President Buhari had stated: “We are now looking for evidences of shipping of some of our crude, their destinations and where and which accounts they were paid (into) and in which country. When we get as much as we can get as soon as possible, we will approach those countries to freeze those accounts and go to court, prosecute those people and let the accounts be taken to Nigeria. The amount of money is mind burgling, but we have started getting documents. We have started getting documents where some of the senior people in government, former ministers, some of them had as much as five accounts and were moving about one million barrel per day on their own…”

Who knows, it may be these ministers that some overzealous operatives wanted to deny exit from the country shortly after President Buhari defeated the former incumbent, Jonathan.

The question that the recent showmanship by the SSS begs for answers is why most security operatives harbour within them the persecution complex. Could it be a question of lack of capacity or simply blind quest to settle scores? How much patriotism runs in the blood of security operatives? Could it be hangover from the prolonged military intervention in Nigeria’s governance or mere self-importance bravado?.