Between the late Umaru Dikko and the now re-nabbed Nnamdi Kanu — any similarity? That question must have pronged at the historic-minded, as the news of Kanu’s re-arrest punched the wires.
Well, Umaru Dikko belonged to a separate age. He was super-minister under the late President Shehu Shagari, of the ill-fated 2nd Republic (1 October 1979-31 December 1983). Like Rotimi Amaechi today, Dikko was Transport minister in his heyday.
But unlike new rail tracks and positive restlessness to grow new rail lines, Dikko’s over-arching influence was in “essenco” — essential commodities — after the Shagari government had run the economy aground; and even the imported “essential commodities”, with which that government had hoped to feed the hungry masses, had become a virulent hive of corruption. Dikko was alleged king in that “thief-dom”.
But that wasn’t even his problem with the new military junta, under Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, that sacked the 2nd Republic. Though Dikko embraced exile instead of arrest after Shagari’s fall, he always nettled the new military regime, in then “far-away” UK.
That annoyed the regime enough to drug and crate him, as expensive cargo, back to Nigeria to answer for his alleged corrupt practices. But the plan went frightfully wrong.
Even after breaking his bail terms and escaping abroad — first sighted in Israel and later, in the UK — the explosive stuff from Kanu never ceased. Indeed, Kanu was main cause of the Federal Government-Twitter tiff, which ended in Twitter’s temporary, if indefinite suspension, from operating in Nigeria. And that is not to count the huge costs in lives and limbs, particularly in the South East, allegedly traced to IPOB/ESN doors!
The good thing, though, between Dikko and Kanu, is that due process appears coming of age. Instead of crating during the Dikko era, Kanu was reportedly nabbed via inter-agency collaboration, hallmarked by INTERPOL — the international police.
That process could have been easier though, since Kanu was already on trial before he jumped bail. And in the midst of all of these, GMB had himself morphed into PMB — democracy and due process be praised!
Let Kanu have his day in court, since he has been promptly re-arraigned. But whatever his fate, it is salutary that due process is being better served, no matter what.
From GMB to PMB, between Dikko and Kanu, and within the same political generation, Nigeria has moved from “crating” regime opponents to utilizing international structures of civil arrests. That is a millennial leap that ought to be toasted.
Let the law take its course, after a fair and transparent trial. That is the hallmark of a civil and civilized society.
(Hard Ball)
