We Should All Mourn By Adeyeye Olorunfemi

 Thirty one NORTHERN Lawyers to defend Abba Kyari. Who in Yoruba land is leading the delegation for Hushpuppi or is he not a Southern star? Were there no lawyers in the East for Invictus Obi? So sad for these lads who forgot “home” while committing crime.

The first thing that came to my mind when I saw this news was the recent event wherein 12 students of a College of Education in Kaduna were arrested and it was a laborious task to get lawyers- sorry, a lawyer in the North (Kaduna) to get their bail. They were arrested and tortured for protesting hike in school fees. They spent over a week in detention until we got wind of the matter and connected among ourselves to see to the issue.

I was almost thinking there are no lawyers in the North.

I am now surprised at the kind of camaraderie Abba Kyari is enjoying over what they claim is the “persecution of the Northern star”. Thirty one  Lawyers pro-bono. Shame!

A close look at the issue would make one understand that the defence is definitely when the extradition process starts, because I do not know if anyone among these kinsmen of Abba Kyari has the license to practise in California where he would be tried if extradited.

He has his rights, no doubt. Section 36 of the Constitution also covers him. But I am afraid that the engine to be used for this long journey has just been ignited. Fueling the vehicle are our normal anomalies- ethnicization and religionization of all issues including crime.

The Coalition of Northern Groups whose steps or maybe directive, these “learned” Northerners are following described Kyari as a “Northern star” that must be protected regardless. Self-acclaimed human rights activist, Ahmed Isa, the slap-monger, has also said Abba Kyari should be left alone even if he committed the crime. This is a very wrong signal in any sane society and a bad trend among people who seek development.

Fulani herdsmen was it before. We are still grappling with the effects of this stereotype.

For the community of rational beings who have taken it as a duty to disabuse the minds of people who generalize the Fulani tribe, even the North as killer tribe, this move is just a clog in the wheel and a taint to any progress made. With this, how do you start educating people that crime is crime and should be treated as such regardless of the tribe of the criminal or criminal suspect?

Like “Fulani herdsmen”, this phrase may creep into our lexicon very soon- Northern Fraudman.

How do you build a prosperous country when how we treat fraud would be determined by the side of the Niger the fraudster is from?

Are we not concerned about how FBI is looking at us at this moment? Or do we think those ones have gone to sleep since this issue became a topic in Nigeria?

They are definitely watching all actions and inactions- even silent moves. An agency that could compile 97,000-paged document on a case should not be compared to our IRT; the one Kyari headed until he was kicked out.

FBI is also not Panti or its federal equivalent, FCIID, Abuja where people can be detained without investigations.

Sincerely, to tell ourselves the truth, someone has opened the asylum gate for our mad man- the one we are trying to cure with herbs. He has escaped and has now crossed international borders and waters. He’s disgracing us everywhere.

All of us should mourn.