[EDITORIAL] Unsolved Murder Cases And Buhari’s Failed Promise

In his first year in office as Nigeria’s President, Muhammadu Buhari had occasion to order Nigeria Police authorities to re-open investigation on some high profile murder cases which had remained unsolved over the years. When the presidential order was made,  not a few Nigerians had dismissed it with a wave of the hand with the contention that the then new administration had more problems already to solve than unsolved homicide cases.  Such contenders did not see  light at the end of the tunnel.

True to the belief of such Nigerians who were circumstantially pessimistic about Buhari’s inability to handle the cases of unsolved murders, events in the last seven years of his administration have proved the pessimists right.

Few years before Buhari assumed the office of the President, some well placed Nigerians have fallen to assassins’ bullets or other killer weapons in circumstances that have remained mysterious. Among such victims of assassination were Chief Bola Ige, serving in Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration at the time of his death. Ige was serving as the Attorney-, General of the Federation and Minister of Justice (AGF) when he was murdered at his Ibadan residence on December 23, 2001.

Another victim of assassination was Chief Aminasoari Dikibo. He was the then National Vice Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) South-South.  He was killed in 2004 in Delta State on his way from Port Harcourt.  He was reportedIy on his way to Asaba for a meeting of PDP when the incident occurred on February 6, 2004.

There were other victims of murder whose cases have been unsolved and they include a one time PDP governorship candidate in Lagos, Engr. Funso Williams, Osun State lawmaker; Odunayo Olagboju, Dipo Dina of Ogun State and many other notable Nigerians who were killed in questionable circumstances.

When the presidential order was handed down to the then Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, many Nigerians inspite of pessimism from some quarters, had seen the order as a welcome development that could help to correct the wrongs of the past and possibly reposition our social system.

Regrettably, the Buhari’s administration in its seven years so far, has recorded the worst incidents of extra-judicial killings that have seriously reduced the assassinations of years past as child’s play.

The killings in various  parts of the North perpetuated by Boko Haram insurgents and bandits, the killings in the Southeast by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and unknown gun and killings in several other places in Southeast states and other Southern States have remained overwhelming and intimidating.

It is in such circumstance that it became extremely difficult for President Buhari to walk his talk of revisiting all unsolved cases of murder on ground before he assumed office.

While Buhari may attract our sympathy for the overwhelming insecurity situation that engulfed his administration, he cannot be excused entirely from blame as certain actions and inactions from him helped to fuel the situation.

Police authorities he charged with the responsibility of unraveling the mystery behind the unsolved murders were unarguably reluctant to carry out the order because the Police did not have what it takes to solve the unsolved murders in spite of pretences to the contrary.  The police lack the necessary tool to embark on such ardous task and even when they seem to have any head way or clue, the political will to assist the police would be lacking due to vested interest.

The present administration has demonstrated lack of will power to do what it preaches. If the All Progressives Congress (APC) national leadership could boldly say it in the public space, that, even if you are a corrupt politician, once you defect to the party, your sin of corruption is forgiven as we have seen in the case of former governors with corruption charges against them, there is no further evidence to show the administration’s endorsement of evil. Such administration will obviously lack the strength of character to revisit some cases of murder which in the circumstances would likely expose some of its officials to ridicule.

Buhari, in spite of his earlier determination to solve the unsolved murder cases, has chosen the attitude of passivity ignoring in the circumstance the enormous moral burden of reneging on a presidential promise.

The inaction or lack of political will from President Buhari to revisit the unsolved cases of murder has clearly portrayed him as having failed in promise to the nation. It would remain a big lesson for years to come.