Pubdate: Thu, 16 Dec 2004
Source: This Day (Nigeria)
Copyright: 2004 This Day.
Contact:  http://www.thisdayonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2870
Author: Godwin Haruna

DIED FIGHTING THE DRUG WAR

LAGOS -- For the cause of the fatherland, they enlisted into the service at 
different points. However, they were united by one vision and that was to 
rid Nigeria of the drug menace working painstakingly under the aegis of the 
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). Buoyed up by the expanded 
vision of their leader, the patriots, five in number, toiled to sanitise 
Nigeria, but they were felled in the cause of this duty.

Mukaila Usman Sanchi, Hassan Umar, Isaiah Danjuma Maje, Yakubu Ahmed 
Mohammed and Aina Gbadebo Olayiwola were all operatives of the NDLEA, who 
paid the supreme sacrifice in their zeal to cleanse the society. The 
officers were mowed down in cold blood by the last vestiges of the clan 
they were trying to rid society of. The blacklegs of society dealt their 
cruel blow on the operatives in their prime - all of them were in their 
thirties, in a gruesome manner in Kano.

Last Monday, the management of the Agency organised a colourful memorial 
parade in honour of the gallant officers. From far and near, the diplomatic 
corps, network of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the media, the 
deceased families and a host of other dignitaries converged at the NDLEA 
headquarters to pay their last respects to the deceased. In a solemn, 
ceremony, the fallen officers' comrades moved the caskets one after 
another, to the venue. The Police band provided the dirges.

Many officers and sympathizers could not hold back tears when caskets were 
being arranged for wreaths to be laid. Tears flowed freely against the 
background that all the five were young with a lot of promise.

The chief mourner and helmsman of the NDLEA Alhaji Bello Lafiaji was 
overwhelmed with emotion when he got up to speak. His voice almost failed 
him close to the end of his speech. Lafiaji noted that it was a most 
difficult challenge for any parent to bury his child. "It is difficult, 
emotionally, psychologically, physically and otherwise. So, you can imagine 
my state of mind right now. I am sad and at the same time very angry", he said.

He said he was sad because the young operatives, do not deserve to die the 
way they did. He explained that the gallant officers had set about their 
duties to their fatherland on the fateful day without premonition of death.

They had hoped, he said, to bring one more merchant of death to book. In 
spite of the dangers and the inconvenience of work at such hours, he said 
they did not complain. The chairman stated that they were fired by their 
patriotic zeal to go ahead with what they had to do, but it was rather 
unfortunate they did not come back alive.

Continuing, he said: "I am angry because the very community that the 
personnel of this agency give their time and lives to serve and protect 
from the ravages of drugs is the same community that has snuffed out the 
lives of the young operatives. It should not have happened. But since it 
has happened we must reflect on it and learn the necessary lessons that 
would ensure it never happens again", Lafiaji declared.

In an emotion-laden voice, he stressed that NDLEA was only the arrow head 
of the fight against drug trafficking and enjoined all members of the 
society to join the agency in curbing the drug menace.

"We will rise from our mournful moods and take the fight to the drug 
barons, wherever they may be across the length and breadth of this country 
and give them the hell they deserve", he said.

On the slain officers, he noted: "Our sincerest tears cannot bring them 
back. Our most magnanimous generosity to their families cannot be a 
substitute for them. But, we will never forget them, we will use the lesson 
of their deaths to prevent such heartless murders".

Quoting Shakespeare in the play Macbeth, Lafiaji noted that the 
perpetrators have murdered sleep and shall find no more sleep. He promised 
to nab those behind the dastardly act. "We need all and sundry. We need 
your cooperation in volunteering information; we need your cooperation in 
assistance with logistics; above all, we need your understanding and 
realization that the drug addicts and the gullible children NDLEA is trying 
to save are your people. Help rendered to NDLEA is help rendered to your 
community. Similarly, murdering NDLEA operatives is akin to murdering the 
community because our primary objective is the well-being of the 
community", he said.

In his tribute to the fallen heroes, he reiterated that they would not die 
in vain. "The lesson of your passage and the perpetual requiem for you 
shall be a professionally smarter and tougher NDLEA. While we mourn you, 
may your gentle souls rest in perfect peace, reassured that dying the way 
you did, has pumped up the adrenaline in us and things shall never be the 
same again", he added.

Lafiaji promised to do the utmost best to ensure that the families of the 
deceased do not suffer much deprivation. In a move many considered as 
unprecedented for a government agency, the chairman handed over cheques to 
all the representatives of the families present on the occasion.

He also awarded the fallen officers Post Humous Award for Excellence and 
Patriotism. For their children, he promised them automatic employment in 
the agency when they come of age and are desirous of threading their 
fathers' professional footsteps. He used the occasion to solicit the 
assistance of all collaborators both locally and internationally to 
increase the level of their partnership in order to win the war on drug 
trafficking.

Also speaking at the memorial, Chairman of the Senate Committee on 
Narcotics and Financial Crimes, Alhaji Lawal Shuaibu, stated that the loss 
of any officer was regrettable, especially, when it is this brutal and out 
of the wickedness of criminals.

"The case we have on our hands is a sad reminder of the fact that the drug 
problem is real and that the perpetrators are getting increasingly 
merciless, comparable to what obtains in advanced countries where drug 
barons deploy the most dangerous weapons of war. We cannot afford to get to 
that level which is why all hands must be on deck so that we must stop them 
before they stop us, Shuaibu, who was represented stated.

He said the act was not only an assault on the officers and NDLEA, but on 
the generality of Nigerians and mankind as a whole. He lauded the efforts 
of Lafiaji to contain the menace of drugs since his assumption of office.

"He has taken training to greater heights, ensuring that officers face 
their jobs with tact and singleness of minds through motivation and 
improved working condition. In the last four years we can attest that this 
is the first major casualty, which lends credence to all these efforts at 
repositioning the agency for better results. But casualty has remained a 
second nature to war. As such, tried as any body could, it is most 
difficult to attain one hundred per cent reduction in death in action; 
especially in a war situation that fighting drugs entails", he said.

Shuaibu reiterated the commitment of the Senate Committee on Narcotic Drugs 
and Financial Crimes, in collaboration with faint counterpart of the lower 
house, to leave no stone unturned until the killers are fished out and 
brought to book. He said part of the Senate Committee's resolve is to make 
provision in the 2005 budget to enable the NDLEA procure more arms and be 
able to effectively counter similar attacks in the future.

He condemned criminals who resort to killing law enforcement agents and 
declared that they would face the full wrath of the law. The colourful 
ceremony was well attended by international collaborators and top 
government officials.
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