Dear Mr. Femi Adesina
Since I am a victim by association to one of the
most vilified and scandalised Nigerians through
media trial, this open letter is the best
opportunity for me to put some issues in proper
perspective following some of your public
remarks about your old friend.
As you are aware, I have been actively involved
in cementing relationships between the media
and security agencies in the recent past.
Immediately after my premature retirement from
the public service by the Jonathan
administration, I was invited by the Office of the
National Security Adviser (ONSA), under Col.
Sambo Dasuki (retired), to help in changing the
negative media narrative on Nigeria’s counter-
terrorism campaigns. It was at a period when the
Boko Haram had the upper hand in the
propaganda campaign in the war against Nigeria
with a section of the foreign media castigating
Nigerian troops as “cowardly” “undisciplined” and
“ill-trained.”
Among other things, I have the responsibility of
consulting for the Forum of Spokespersons of
Security and Response Agencies (FOSSRA), then
chaired by Major General Chris Olukolade, which
has membership from critical public institutions
including the military, security, intelligence and
response agencies. We also created and
sustained web portals for providing accurate and
timely information to the public.
I must commend you, Mr. Femi Adesina, for
playing a greater role in the success of our
campaign because as the then President of
Nigerian Guild of Editors, you also encouraged
editors to support our activities through
occasional self-censorship to manage negative
terrorists’ propaganda.
Being one of the closest editors to former
National Security Adviser, you were always
sincere and frank when you met and discussed
with Dasuki. You never hid your hardened
support for the candidacy of General Buhari of
the All Progressive Congress (APC). I remember
your annoyance over the security clampdown on
the media and when you sought Dasuki’s
intervention for compensation for media
organisations over their loss rather than engaging
in prolonged court cases. I was with you on that
occasion in his office.
Apart from interfacing between FOSSRA and
media representatives at different levels and
locations, which you encouraged, Sambo Dasuki
too, as National Security Adviser, occasionally
hosted media debriefing sessions where sensitive
information was disseminated with supported
photos and video clips. Many of such sessions
were classified, not for publication, where
atrocities of the terrorists; the gallantry of the
Nigerian troops; and sophisticated equipment
deployed for counter-terrorism operations were
disclosed or shown.
I am glad that not only were you adequately
informed of those success stories of the
Jonathan administration’s war on terror, you even
took the pain to pen an opinion article eulogising
Dasuki for keeping to his promise of clearing all
known terrorists’ camps before the handover to
the new government.
As a respected columnist, your article of May 1,
2015 on the back page of the Daily Sun with the
title “A little Late But Not too Late,” clearly
exonerated Dasuki from some allegations and
also revealed some concrete facts of the
achievements that were not being reported in the
media.
It is therefore baffling that the same Femi
Adesina could brazenly contradict himself shortly
after assuming public office in his official
statements. Some of us who know your cordial
relationship with Dasuki and information at your
disposal are indeed baffled by your dramatic
turnaround in so short a time.
Meanwhile, it is necessary to point out that not
all funds in ONSA are meant for arms
procurement. As you are aware, under its Special
Service Office (SSO), funds are expended on
training, espionage, communication, special
interventions for special causes including NGOs.
One of the successful programmes under ONSA
is the Soft-Approach to countering terrorism, of
which deradicalization without the use of force
through economic empowerment, education,
communication, rehabilitation and counselling
were part. The Presidential Initiative on North-
East (PINE) was conceived from the Soft
Approach.
As a media consultant who has distributed over
1,000 press releases on behalf of the military and
security agencies, I can state the following as a
fact from official documents and releases:
On August 6, 2015, through PRNigeria, Dasuki
named and provided pictures of sophisticated
weapons bought for the military, which included:
Alpha jets, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs)
APCs, Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP)
vehicles, advanced artillery pieces, assorted
arms and ammunitions, highly sophisticated
surveillance drones, T72 Battle Tanks and
modification of F7 supersonic jet fighters. Even
in his official response to your statement against
him on November 18, 2015, Dasuki mentioned
official acknowledgements of delivery of some of
the equipment by the security chiefs.
It is therefore laughable when critics claim that
no weapons were purchased when a video from
Boko Haram leader Shekau displayed captured
sophisticated weapons after alleged mutinous
soldiers fled Baga
At the twilight of the Jonathan administration
more than 22 towns in Adamawa, Borno and
Yobe States were recovered and confirmed with
video and pictorial evidences through military
press releases. Some of the towns recovered
before the coming of President Muhammadu
Buhari included Abadam, Askira, Baga, Bama,
Biu, Buni Yadi, Damboa, Goniri, Gujba, Gulani,
Gwoza, Hong, Konduga, Kukawa, Marte,
Madagali, Michika, Monguno, Mubi, and others. A
clear testimony to some of the accomplishments
was the official DHQ release dated March 16,
2015 with reference No: DHQ/ABJ/901/32/DDI
and titled: “Troops Finally Rout Terrorists from
Bama and Last Stronghold in Yobe”.
Even though when you confirmed in the same
article while you were still a columnist that
“Sambisa Forest is falling” it was actually
stormed by Nigerian troops where about 300
kidnapped women and children were rescued
with video evidence before the emergence of the
current administration.
In an attempt to indict Sambo Dasuki, some
media leak unethically exposed the expenditure
of sensitive agencies like the National
Intelligence Agency, Department of State Service
and others to public ridicule. This is unfair. It
was for the sensitive nature of issues that we
guarded the recruitment of Special M Forces to
help in the air while Nigerian troops recaptured
the ground.
Some would rather call our Technical Advisers as
South-African mercenaries. Even when Nigeria
financially supported some neigbouring countries
to participate in the Multi-National Joint
Taskforce (MNJTF) it was deliberately done
because they were initially reluctant, as foreign
powers were not willing to help Nigerian troops.
Since Dasuki and others are now being arraigned
in court, rather than the continuing media trial
and planned secret trials, let the trial commence
in open court to enable prosecutors and
accusers present their arguments to remove
facts from fictions and reality from illusion.
Sir, as you know that I have tremendous respect
for you, I strongly urge you to use your good
office to protect the integrity of critical
institutions like security and the media from
public ridicule as some patriotic officers, media
organisations and publishers are already being
indicted without fair trial in the court of law.
While I vouch for your professional integrity, you
know for a fact that Dasuki is kind and
obediently loyal in and out of office. You know
that for sure, Mr. Femi Adesina.
As we end 2015, I pray the year 2016 will not be
one of a media circus but one in which the rule
of law will determine official actions and
suspects of all kinds will have their rights under
the constitution respected. This is my last article
on this issue and I do this with the best of
intentions to protect our institutions.

• Yushau A. Shuaib, Blogger: www.yashuaib.com,
yashuaib@yahoo.com


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