SSS, in mind game, readies dungeons for politicians

[TGD]

 AT the Maitama office of the State Security Services (SSS) exists special cells. These underground cells have no windows and therefore ventilation is a luxury. When there is an outage, the occupants cannot see one another.

And if one is tempted to rush to the conclusion that they are designed for common criminals, that is farther from the truth. They are indeed the new homes prepared by the security operatives for heady and unruly politicians, who may breach the rule of the game as the April polls approach.

The SSS at the weekend took politicians on tour of the cells to demonstrate its zero-tolerance for violence in the polity.

All these happened ahead of meetings, this week, of the National Security Council and the Council of State to address the issue of polls, violence and even Nigeria's survival.

An official of the SSS said that the 'psychological action' of showing the politicians the fate that would befall anyone involved in violence has paid off. "At least, we can henceforth hold politicians from Akwa Ibom and Benue states down to their peace deals and acceptance of responsibility for any breach of the law in their states."

The two states have recorded the worst form of violence in recent time. "Our mission was to let them see where they may spend their time if they refused to sheathe their sword and we are already reaping the fruits of that singular action," he said.

After the visit, politicians from Benue State quickly signed an undertaking to work for peace in the state, before, during and after the April elections.

SSS Director-General, Mr. Ekpeyong Ita, said in his office in Maitama that the security agencies are capable of containing any possible breakdown of law and order before and after the election." We will continue to work on politicians' minds where they brew all these crises. The minds of the politicians are the battlefields. And we will use modern methods of peace-building in security operations to prevent further mayhem in the states..."

He had led his men in drilling the politicians from Benue and Akwa Ibom states on how they could be treated if they continue directly or indirectly to unleash violence on the people or cause confusion in their states.

Ita later took the politicians to one of the underground cells in the SSS headquarters, a very dark dungeon where there was outage for about 10 minutes and the politicians could not see one another.

Among the politicians who inspected the cells were former governor of the state and serving Senator George Akume, former Minister of Industry and Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) chief in the state, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, erstwhile Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), former All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) and Vice Chancellor of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Prof. Daniel Saror, and Ben Dzoto.

The Guardian witnessed the entry and registration of several invited politicians from Akwa Ibom State to the SSS headquarters last Friday night. It was learnt that the invitation of these politicians and their visit to the underground cell is to "work on the psyche of the politicians. We believe that 'war begins in the minds of men. And so we have to invite them to show them where we will put them for days if they don't manage their politics and supporters well in the states..."

At the end of the dress rehearsal, the Benue politicians signed what they called a "Communique on Benue political crisis." Ayu represented the ACN, Gemade (PDP), Saror (ANPP) and Dr. Agbo Emmanuel (PDP).

The politicians committed themselves to a six-point peace agenda thus: the April 2011 elections will be free and fair in Benue; that no party in the state will by any act or omission encourage political violence; and that security agencies should not allow themselves to be used for perpetuate political violence.

Others are: security agencies will work jointly to ensure that perpetrators of political violence and criminal activities in Benue face the full wrath of the law irrespective of their positions in the society; traditional rulers should steer away from partisan politics, and no party in Benue will conduct rallies on the highways but in approved public facilities.

The Guardian also learnt that the Akwa Ibom political leaders also committed themselves to a similar deal but details were not available at press time.

In recognition of the volatile situation in the build-up to the elections, the President Goodluck Jonathan will on Wednesday inaugurate a Presidential Committee on Public Awareness on Security and Civil Responsibilities.

The committee that has the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF's) Office as its focal point will work out modalities for peace building and awareness of the populace during and after the April elections.

There were also indications at the weekend of quiet confidence building among the northern elite with even opponents of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari's politics allegedly rooting for his presidential ambition.

Sources claimed that they have begun to prepare for a Buhari presidency and a new Nigeria where an opposition party defeated a ruling party.

One of the groups allegedly campaigning for Buhari is the Adamu Ciroma Northern Leaders' Forum, which was formed to get a consensus candidate for the North on the PDP platform.

The Ciroma committee's political awareness campaign is said to have swayed support for Buhari that was not part of the original agenda.

The Guardian gathered in Kaduna too that a recent meeting of retired military and intelligence officers meant to address security generally also weighed the volatile situation that may arise immediately after the announcement of the result that is envisaged could favour Buhari.

Besides, it has been projected in the North too that President's expected free run in the South would be affected by the formidable presence of the ACN in the South-West.

The North-West, Buhari's alleged comfort zone registered 19,808,689 voters. The South West, ACN's enclave has 14, 296, 163 registered voters. The North Central, has only 10, 684, 017 voters while the President's base, South-South has only 9, 474, 427. The North-East has 10, 749,059 while the South- East has 7, 577,212 voters.

Accordingly, top 10 states are Lagos (6,108,069) Kano (5,027,297) Kaduna (3,905, 387, Katsina (3,126,898, Oyo (2,572, 140), Bauchi (2,523, 614) Rivers 2,429, 231, Benue, (2,390, 884, Sokoto (2, 267, 509), Plateau (2,259, 194) totalling 32, 610,223 voters. The least six states are topped by the President's state of Bayelsa with only 591, 870 registered voters.

Meanwhile, the optimistic planners of Buhari's victory, who also envisage a possible run-off in the April's historic election are wary of likely support from ACN led by former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu generally regarded within the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) fold and indeed Buhari's supporters as a very shrewd politician.

The Guardian was told in different locations in the North that it is feared that Tinubu may not be comfortable, after all with a Buhari presidency. Most of the scenario planners based their conclusions on two planks: Tinubu's business empire and his foundation as a progressive element from the days of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), which led the fight against a perceived northern oligarchy that deprived the late Chief Moshood Abiola his  June 12, 1993 victory.

But a President's main man told The Guardian before going to the Eagle Square where the PDP grand finale took place on Saturday that "the Jonathan's campaign office is quite aware of all these calculations. We are aware that winning this election is not a tea party...We are aware that Buhari will collect a lot of votes in the North. But we know we will not score zero...You should know that we are the ruling party, the only national party in Nigeria.

"We are comfortable with what we have on ground. We also have states that we control in the North...We are very strong in the North Central and parts of the North-East. I hope the media know too that there are other people in the same North who would not vote for Buhari at all."



Source: SSS, in mind game, readies dungeons for politicians