We Can’t Win War against Corruption by Undermining Law, Onaiyekan Cautions

Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has
admonished the federal government not to ignore basic human rights
or bye-pass the rule of law in its fight against corruption and
other social vices in the country.

He also stated that in their drive to maintain internal peace,
the Armed Forces should put power behind justice and good
governance, and never support any form of injustice or bad
governance.

In the message issued yesterday by the cleric to mark this
year’s Armed Forces Remembrance Day celebration, Onayeikan said the
search for peace and overall stability of the country would be
futile in the absence of justice and good governance.

According to him, “We cannot successfully prosecute a war
against indiscipline by locking up innocent people for months in
dungeons without legal recourse. For the same reason, we cannot
hope to win the war against corruption by ignoring or bye-p≠≠assing
basic human rights to the rule of law.”

Onayeikan said leaders must learn lessons from January 15, 1966,
historic event which marked the beginning of military rule in the
country.

The clergyman said one of the key lessons to be learned from the
events of January 15, 1966, is that “we should not misuse our armed
forces and our military resources.”

He said the armed forces in Nigeria are made up of men and women
“who have volunteered to keep us safe even at the risks of their
own lives, and often at high costs to their families.”

However, Onayeikan said the armed forces are placed under the
Ministry of Defense and not Ministry of Aggression so that they can
defend the country and its citizens.

Regarding the conflict in the Northeast, the cleric advised the
federal government to ensure that the military is well equipped to
prosecute the war against the insurgents.

He also called for proper investigation into complaints by the
soldiers with a view to addressing any anomaly.

While recollecting the events that led to military takeover in
1966, Onaiyekan said the country must imbibe the lessons of
instability and injustice, the futility of violence and the
imperative of personal conversion and social moral revolution.

“We hope we have by now learned our lesson and that we will no
longer allow such misuse of our armed forces and our military
resources. I do not know why January 15 has been chosen as the
Armed Forces Remembrance Day. But to many people like me, it brings
strong memories of that critical day-January 15, 1966,” he
said.