Senator Kasamu’s private security guards, threat to National Security- CAIDOV

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Campaign Against Impunity and Domestic Violence, CAIDOV has called the attention of security operatives to the unwholesome deployment of heavily-armed private security guards and the potential build up of a private army which may become a threat to National Security by Senator Buruji Kasamu.

In a petition written to the Director-General, Department of State Security Service, (DSS) by CAIDOV, the group said that apart from their findings due to researches conducted , only few members of the public are aware that most of the men attached to the Senator are private guards.

 “We write with the intention to intimate your office of what we perceive as a potential threat to the security of the nation, safety of other citizens and to call on your department to take the necessary steps to avoid what may eventually become a security breach and an embarrassment to the nation and the security network in the nearest future. 

“Kindly note sir, that our observation was informed by our understanding that Security all over the world is more about the "total absence of threats" and definitely not in all the physical security architecture we often put in place. It is a state of psychological sense of safety essentially involving Intelligence gathering.” CAIDOV said.

According to petition signed by the National secretary of CAIDOV, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, CAIDOV drew from information on global best practices in security corridors, and became aware of the fact that Very Important Personalities (VIPs) are considered to be those who, whenever they come to any harm, have the potential of affecting not only them and immediate members of their family, but can threaten the security of the state and a large number of people in the society. 

“These people, to our understanding are the people qualified for Protective Details of Security agencies. And they come under different categories of Public Officers.  And it is in the light of the above, and based on our understanding, and having conducted extensive research in relation to the above subject matter, that we are writing this petition to your good office and to call your attention to the potential threat posed to state security, of having a personality like Senator Buruji Kasamu have unfettered access to protective details at the State's expense, and uncontrolled allowance/permission to use heavily armed Private security operatives.

“We need to draw the attention of your esteemed office to the threats contained in this. Apart from the research conducted by us, only few members of the public are aware that most of the men attached to the Senator are private guards. More often than not they are mistaken as men and officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) by the unsuspecting publics, especially because they are dressed in black suits, T-shirts like operatives of your department and sometimes carrying arms. In the event of any security breach or laxity, the department will have a lot of explaining to do (on its image) to convince the public about their identity. ”CAIDOV analyzed.

Using the dreaded Boko Haram sect as an immediate case study, CAIDOV pointed out that members of the sect had at a point been employed as private Security aides and details of some top politicians, government functionaries including governors in Borno State before they became uncontrollable.

“Our study also reveals that in most cases, places and several instances where insecurity, militancy and armed violence snowball into national crises, there had been a period of deliberate nonchalance, laxity and sometimes complicity by those who are charged with the security of the society. Senator Buruji Kasamu goes about with over fifty (50) private security guards and all are heavily armed. Sir, we can then imagine what a scene it will look like in a society where we have all the 109 Senators in the Upper legislative chamber each employing the services of approximately 50 private Security details; each of the 360 members of the House of Representatives; all commissioners in the services of each of the 36 states; all past governors; former Senators and members of House of Representatives etc and all of them treating themselves to this luxury of liberty and freedom that is being accorded Senator Buruji Kasamu. 

“One can also imagine a situation where a private citizen have the capacity to hold down the security system and operatives of an entire nation for weeks or even withstand a siege for months in the case of any crime for which he is declared wanted. There are several examples in this regard. The first time a ranking government official was killed in the United States of America was at the Church of Heaven's Gate of the Reverend Jim Jones in Guyana. The case of notorious Mexican drug lord, Guzman El Chapo who recently broke jail in spite of all state security apparatuses is also fresh in the memory. He was able to achieve this feat because of the retinue of personal extra security at his disposal. 

“We are not persuaded by reasons of logic and security that Senator Kasamu enjoys more privileged status than his colleagues in the Senate and other eminent citizens of our country. We therefore call on your good office to urgently intervene to arrest these real, actual and potential threats to the security of the Nigerian state and the good citizens of the country.” The petition read further.

Campaign Against Impunity and Domestic Violence (CAIDOV) was formed by professionals from different  fields, especially journalists and human rights activists who felt concerned about the growing impunity among Nigeria's political leaders on the one hand, and increasing cases of domestic violence in the country. They are concerned that concerted efforts must be directed towards reducing not only the various acts of impunity but also the increasing rate of domestic violence which they believe can only be reduced through actionable advocacy and vigorous campaign from different sectors of the society. 

CAIDOV had courageously campaigned against domestic violence and violators are being reported to constituted authorities for appropriate action.