Shi’ites Killing, Biafra, Dasuki: Is This The End Of Buhari’s Honeymoon With International Community?

The recent alleged killings of members of Islamic Movement of Nigeria by Nigerian soldiers in Zaria Kaduna state, may well mark the end of the honeymoon which the President Muhammadu Buhari led administration has been enjoying since getting to office on May 29, 2015.

There is no doubt that the administration had been riding on wave of goodwill from the international community, with many presidential palaces around the world literally begging Buhari to visit their country. From Washington to Tehran, Buhari has been seen as a breath of fresh air in the engagement of Nigeria by the international community. The confidence of the international community on the administration is also based on President Buhari’s promise on his inauguration that he would ensure rule of law and obey all international laws and treaties that Nigeria was signatory to.

All that may soon change, if the way the Shi’ites was killed were not thoroughly investigated in line with international best practice. The Shiites are alleging that over 1000 of their members were killed and buried in mass grave. Already the Iranian government which country Buhari visited recently is calling for investigation. Aside the Iranians, the Americans, the French and indeed the United Nations are demanding for investigation.

Given the reaction from the international community, the situation is not helped by the silence of the administration on an incident that cost lives of Nigerians as if their lives does not matter. As I write the members of the Islamic Movement cannot say with certainty the whereabouts of their leader El-zakzaky, whether he is in the custody of the army or police. It is time for the president to address the country on this matter to reassure Nigerians and the international community that his administration would always uphold the rule of law.

Similarly the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mr Nnamdi Kanu has been freed by the courts of all charges against him, yet he is allegedly being held against his will by the government. Also the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) has been granted reliefs from the courts which the government failed to enforce. These are not signals of a government that was determined to enforce rule of law and engage the international community as a democratic nation.

The government’s failure to enforce the rule of law is more troubling given the fact that the government needed the support of the international community for the return of alleged stolen money by the past administration and to finance its 2016 budget which they are looking for about N1.6trillion foreign loan.

Given the internationalization of these issues it is obvious that the government may find it difficult to sweep them under the carpet in a typical Nigerian style. The world is watching and waiting!