By Akintokunbo A Adejumo – For those of us in the Diaspora, there is need for absolute caution on how we yield our platforms for some felonious elements who masquerade as business or political leaders to do some hatchet jobs either intentionally or inadvertently.
I say this regarding a post on Facebook by a fellow Ibadan-man based in the USA. The post came 24 hours after the newly appointed Chairman/CEO of NDLEA, Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa took over at the anti-drug law enforcement agency on Monday when he read the riot act to drug barons and traffickers that with him in the saddle, they will have the NDLEA to contend with if they do not stop their illicit trade.
That is typical of Marwa with hindsight on what he did with ‘Operation Saki’ and ‘Operation Sweep’ against criminal elements as military administrator in Borno and Lagos States, respectively.
The Facebook post to me is suspicious, more so that it is laden with falsehood and fiction. It is a known fact that Marwa was harassed by former President Obasanjo, using the EFCC when he wanted to vie for the Presidency in 2006/2007. And that was where it all ended. But to claim he forfeited properties in Europe and America is ridiculous. I will like such evidence produced if there was anything like that. This could only have happened under a plea bargain or upon prosecution. And from my enquiries so far, nothing like that happened, as I even got to know he was later exonerated by the same agency after no infraction was established against him. Otherwise, he could have been prosecuted long ago. We have also read many such previous plea bargains in the public domain as EFCC usually makes it public. None such was made public by EFCC to date.
I have gone this far, to urge our fellow Diaspora that we should only yield our platforms to facts-based narratives rather than deriding our reputation and presenting ourselves as pensionaries.
For a man who worked for two years along with others to develop a blueprint on how to end drug abuse in Nigeria as Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee for the Elimination of Drug Abuse, PACEDA, I do not think anyone is more qualified for the task of repositioning NDLEA as him. For a two-time governor to accept such a task should be commended rather than the unnecessary attacks.
I have followed Gen. Marwa’s trajectory of public service as Military Attaché, Nigerian Embassy, Washington DC, USA, and Defence Attaché, United Nations, New York, as well as former Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa and the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland. In addition to being Military Administrator in Borno and Lagos States, his records of performance anywhere he goes has been excellent. As such, we should give him all the support and cooperation needed to succeed in his assignment.
My take and opinion, ONLY!
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