Human rights lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has lamented the recent attempt by armed robbers to burgle the official residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari, in Aso Villa.
He said that the incident portrayed that the country is totally not safe, adding that it was still a miracle that Nigeria as a country has not yet been physically kidnapped by criminals.
The legal luminary in a statement received by our correspondent, said the invasion of Aso Villa was shameful to Nigeria as a nation.
He said “I am not surprised to hear that the official residence of the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof Ibrahim Gambari inside Aso Villa has been burgled. It is still a wonder, indeed a miracle, for which I am grateful to God, that Nigeria herself has not still been physically abducted and kidnapped as a country, though she has since been abducted and kidnapped, literally, in terms of economy, corruption, nepotism, cronyism, prebendalism, crass tribalism and religious bigotry. There is no security anywhere in the land.
“Boko Haram insurgents are only kilometers away from the federal seat of government in Abuja. In Niger State, they have since planted their flags of sovereignty over many Nigerian territories. The Governor himself said so…Whether in the air, on water, or by road, or in the markets, malls, schools, churches, mosques, streets, alleys, government seats, Nigerians are not safe from rampaging marauders.”
He also averred that “the burglary of a whole Chief of Staff’s residence therefore merely points to the dire times and vulnerability of all. After all, if gold rusts, what will iron do?”
He added, “One of the greatest signs of a failed state is when there is balance of power of violence and control over instruments of terror between a legitimate government and non-state actors, such as terrorists, armed bandits, kidnappers, etc. That is where we are today unfortunately.
“It blames every person and all others, but itself. It still blames the PDP that it snatched power from in an unfair election 6 whopping years ago!
“Now, it has invented rumours of a possible coup against it as a not so ingenious strategy of distraction from its woeful performance and abysmal failure. So shameful and disgusting. Nigeria, we hail thee.”