Prometheus 6   

We Don't Want Him in Nigeria' : Hand Him Over to War Crimes Court - Yusufu

Vanguard (Lagos)
July 12, 2003
By Blessyn Okpowo, Deputy Editor

Alhaji Mohammed Dikko Yusufu, former Inspector General of Police and Presidential candidate of the Movement For Democracy and Justice MDJ, needs no introduction. He was a close ally of President Obasanjo in his first coming as military head of state. Yusufu has remained an international figure even in retirement especially in security circles. At home, he remains a reference point in the human rights and pro-masses struggles by the nation's progressive forces. He spoke on the asylum debate for Charles Taylor.

I don't think it is a wise idea to ask Mr. Charles Taylor to come to Nigeria. He is a wanted man by the international community. He is wanted for war crimes by the international court, so if he is coming here, he should come only to be handed over to the War Crimes Tribunal. The whole world can not be going to one direction and we go to a different direction. We cannot be bigger than the world. The man committed atrocities against his own country men, he killed innocent citizens from his country who dared raised a voice against him. He turned innocent children into guerrilla soldiers and destroyed their lives. All this was because he wanted to stay in power.

He even killed innocent Nigerian journalists who went to cover the Liberian war because according to him Nigeria was supporting his opponents. Now that the tide has turned against him he wants to turn to Nigeria for refuge. If he comes here, he should be handed over to the War crimes tribunal. How do you explain the presence of Charles Taylor in Nigeria to the families of those Nigerians who died in Liberia because they wanted to restore peace in there? How do you explain his coming to Nigeria to the children of those two journalists (Krees Imodibe and Tayo Awotusin) whom he killed in cold blood for no other reason than the fact that they are Nigerians?

I know people will talk of Nigeria playing the brother's keeper. But you can not keep a brother who is a murderer. If you have a brother who is a criminal, you don't protect him simply because he is your brother. You make him face the consequences of his actions. He should be made to face the law and that is what we should do to Taylor.