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Frank Odita, retired commissioner of police and principal consultant, Frankcom Limited, a security company, speaks with Haruna  Salami,  senior staff writer, and Elaigwu Sule, reporter/researcher, on how  best   the combined team of the security agencies can effectively be used to crush Boko Haram. Excerpts:

Newswatch: What is your assessment of the handling of the activities of Boko Haram by security agents in Nigeria?

Odita: Well, my impression is that Nigeria is a peace-loving country, to begin with. And because we are not used to terrorist activities, the Boko Haram activities became very disturbing to every Nigerian who is not used to terrorism, especially, when it was endangering lives and properties. Everybody was looking up to the government to do something. God, in His infinite mercy, made it possible for the activities of government to be rewarded by the arrest of the kingpins as it were, and revelations are beginning to come out. I want to believe that it is the will of God that we are virtually coming to the end of the whole exercise because like the Bible says if God is not watching, the watchman watcheth in vain. So, we believe that the prayer of Nigerians is being answered by God and that is why it is possible for these faceless individuals to now find that we are at the dawn of the end of the exercise.

Newswatch: In an earlier interview, you mentioned lack of co-ordination between the State Security Services, SSS and the Police as one of the major factors hindering the fight against Boko Haram. Based on the latest crackdown on members of the sect, what would you say now?

Odita: Naturally, you can see synergy in action. It is no longer a police matter. Usually, internal security matters are issues of police and the police are meant to collate criminal inteligence.Terrorism is somehow, an activity that should also be part of SSS activities and the police. And so, if we act in competition and begin to say it is not my job, it is his job, then we have a problem.

But you can see that everybody is concerned. So synergy is now in action and results are coming out. That is the beauty of synergy, because Nigeria is not one man’s country. It belongs to all of us and everyone has a responsibility, not just SSS. Security is all security agencies put together, working, and the government providing the necessary environment for them to perform and the tools for their work, and also the public who live within the premise where criminals operate to give information to security agents. The criminals are human beings. They live among us and eat with us. They are our relations. So, when the three work together in synergy, action is put in place and results are achieved, and that is what exactly has happened.

Newswatch: How best can the security agents make use of the confessional statements of Kabiru Sokoto and Abu l Qaqa to get to the root of the matter and even arrest the sponsors of Boko Haram?

Odita: The very essence of statements is to ensure thorough investigation. So, if confessional statements are made, they should be checked by the security agencies and confirmed, because when you talk of statements, you  are talking of whether  it is true or false, or am I saying what I am saying to nail you or trying to do something to pay back for what you may have done to me? So, when confessional statements are made, those in charge have to sieve the truth from the entire story and know what to do with the truth after they have confirmed it.

Confessional statements don’t become confessional statements until they are proven to be the truth. If they are to be truth and are certified, then it will help further investigation.

Newswatch: Precisely, are you recommending dialogue with Boko Haram?

Odita: There is no way that dialogue will not become part of it all because as much as crime has been committed; it is possible that those identified as the criminals will be prosecuted. It is possible you may get the sponsors who are responsible to be prosecuted. But then, it is also necessary to find out how to put a final stop to it. We are all Nigerians. We are all brothers and sisters. Those you have killed, what did they do? That’s what we call dialogue. And at the end of the day, it is not everybody that is involved in this that will be sent to jail. But there are people who may be warming up to join but because they have now realised that peace has no alternative, they will be able to say okay, we are actually getting involved in this matter because of so and so, and if government can do so and so for us, we will stop.

Newswatch: Talking about dialogue, recently some members of the sect sent a video tape to the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, calling for dialogue with government. But some Nigerians are opposed to such a dialogue with the sect whom they described as mere criminals. What do you think about that?

Odita: For me, as a Nigerian and a security person, I believe that if we do not find why we are under siege, we will remain under siege perpetually. If people say we want to talk, at least, find out who your enemy is because identification of your enemy is the first step to end the crisis. So it will be wrong for Nigerians to say oh, because they are criminals, we will not dialogue with them. Let them first come out, and if you are dialoging, you will know whom you are dialoging with and the cause of the crisis.

Newswatch: Many Nigerians are worried that the identities of the personalities allegedly linked with the terrorist sect have not been made public.

Odita: They may have their reasons for being quiet or not naming anybody, because you don’t just name anybody if you are not satisfied that you have enough evidence on ground.

Newswatch: Kabiru Sokoto had escaped in Abaji while he was being escorted by the police in handcuff and Zakari Biu who was heading the investigation was suspended. Based on his antecedents, what do you think was his role in the escape saga?

Odita: I wouldn’t want to comment on Zakari Biu. Biu is a commissioner of police. What must have happened to him and whatever treatment he got in the escape of Kabiru Sokoto must have been purely based on vicarious responsibility.  This is because as head of a department, you owe a responsibility for the suspect, and if under your purview and responsibility, such an embarrassing situation occurs, then, of course, everybody passes judgement on you as irresponsible.

Newswatch: There appears to be a division in the ranks of Boko Haram. Do you think that is a sign that the security agents are already overpowering them?

Odita: It may and it may not be. It is possible that they too are getting tired of being on the lips of Nigerians. You know, what it means to belong to a sect that you wake up every morning and everybody is laying courses on you and nobody is praising you? You are under siege and no longer enjoying even your own freedom. It is not good. It doesn’t matter where you are. A criminal is not a happy man. That is my assessment as a police officer.