Every nation faces threats. These threats can be social, such as aggression from a neighbouring country, infiltration from a terrorist group or global economic trends that compromise the nation’s welfare and security. In other cases, threats can be natural, such as desertification or viral pandemics.
Some national security threats come from foreign governments with hostile intentions. These threats may include direct acts of war and aggression, but they can also be subtler and harder to detect. Examples include espionage and election interference.
Countries also face threats from groups who don’t formally represent a foreign government but may be sponsored or tolerated by foreign powers.
Crucially, like the American Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), the MI5 and M16 of the United Kingdom, the duties of Nigeria’s National Intelligence Agency (NIA) involve working for the federal government autonomously to protect its citizens from threats.
Formed June 5, 1986, the NIA is the government agency responsible for the collection, analysis, and exploitation of information in support of law enforcement, national security, military, and foreign policy objectives.
The NIA as a vital organ of Nigeria’s national security protects not only citizens but also the economic stability of national institutions as well as safeguard against any threat that challenges the nation’s power and disrupts its well-being.
One of the core responsibilities of the NIA is identifying potential dangers and readying the right response.
In this context, anything that threatens the physical well-being of the Nigerian population or jeopardizes the stability of the nation’s economy or institutions is considered a national security threat.
That would make the unfolding investigation into the clandestine activities of a fugitive intelligence chief, believed to have found a safe haven in Dubai, United Arab Emirates to undermine Nigeria’s national security, one of the greatest challenges to the nation’s spycraft in recent times.
Reports in some major Nigerian news outlets reveal that security agencies are probing a former NIA Acting Director-General, for leaking secret files of the Agency to the media and some non-governmental organisations with a view to causing greater instability in the country.
For a retired top official of the NIA, a Nigerian government agency tasked with overseeing foreign intelligence and counterintelligence operations to use the platform of a foreign nation to undermine national security while in possession of classified information amounts treasonable felony by whatever lingua franca.
It is treason, by every standard of judgement, for an ex-intelligence chief on self exile in a foreign land, to recruit internal collaborators for clandestine activities to undermine the nation’s security by attempting to implicate some NIA directors, the federal government of Nigeria and accusing the President of the Federal Republic of nepotism.
The fact that security agencies are said to believe that Dauda is still in possession of some classified information which he has allegedly been releasing to hurt Nigeria’s security system is certainly a matter of concern to all well meaning Nigerians and friends alike.
From whichever prism one chooses to look at it, the reported move by the federal authorities to seek the extradition of the ex-NIA boss believed to have leaked some of the sensitive stuff in his possession to hostile political interests and foreign intelligence agencies is therefore justifiable.
It is regrettable that while Nigeria remains committed to peace and global order, some of its friends in the international community, in this case the UAE should give safe haven to such fugitive agents to breach the interest of Nigeria’s national sovereignty, national security, national peace and constitutionalism; crimes that no country will allow against its own people.
Hence, it is unacceptable to Nigeria and Nigerians that some of its international friends will allow their countries, media space and facilities to be used in promoting anarchy and spreading discontent in the land.
It is also important that the international community, especially countries where Nigerians like Dauda will find comfort to perpetuate an agenda that fans the embers of discord in Nigeria, take action in line with their domestic laws and international laws on espionage and sabotage to sanction these people and not accommodate them.
It is clear that while International law allows for the right of citizens of other countries to seek asylum elsewhere, it does not legitimize incitement to violent disruption of law and order in other countries. And no democracy will allow its citizens to be threatened by either internal or external aggression. These are clear provisions in Nigeria as they are under international law.
It is therefore imperative for the UAE to understand that its bilateral friendship with Nigeria is guided by the principles of sovereignty, promotion of peace and the standards that guide legitimate interference. Hence, their actions should not be drawn to discountenance the effort of the Nigerian state to protect its citizens and territorial integrity.
It is equally important to call the attention of Nigeria’s friends, particularly in Dubai and the entire international community/ organisations to weigh the impact and consequence of these destructive campaigns coming from their backyard.
By far, a destabilized Nigeria will certainly threaten the peace and security of the entire sub-Saharan Africa. As the most populous country on the continent and one that continuous to influence peace and stability across the sub-continent, any breakdown of law and order will only compound the security and humanitarian situations in the region.
This will also further worsen the continent’s situation, disrupt international cohesion, compound the despondent cases of human trafficking, migration and other challenges the continent and the world are now facing.
Without doubt, the present Nigerian government of President Muhammadu Buhari has proven its commitment to a just, fair and democratic Nigeria where every citizen will be free to exercise his or her constitutional rights while respecting the rights and dignity of others. It also sufficiently committed to engaging with Nigeria’s international friends and partners based on mutual respect, harmony, international order, the principles of sovereignty and of international law and conventions.
It is time therefore for Nigeria’s international friends to interrogate these unwarranted cases of people using the privilege of dual citizenship or right to asylum to move to their countries and use their spaces to transmit messages and propaganda that would further polarize Nigerians.
What they will not condone upon their country and citizens, they should not condoned the same to be perpetrated from their land against other people and countries.
Abbah wrote from Kaduna
