In spite of the assurance given by President Goodluck Jonathan of a fair and open trial for suspects in the Independence Day bomb blasts that took 12 lives and injured more than 103 other innocent Nigerians, the reality is different. The indications are that the trial of the nine suspects arrested so far will be anything but open. Of the nine is the brother of so-called repentant militant leader Henry Okah, also standing trial in South Africa over the October 1 Abuja explosions. His trial in that country has been open since it got underway last month.

There can be only one reason why the government is opting for a secret trial. It fears that the terror suspects will implicate some of its officials. Already, the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godswill  Orubebe has been mentioned by Okah,  alleged the mastermind of the bombings, in a confession that he was asked to link the incident to some northern politicians.  However, we believe that it is wrong for the government to equate its self-preservation instinct to national security interest. The latter, in our view, will be better served by an open trial that will not only expose the wicked minds behind the tragic incidents of last October but also the strength of the nation’s justice system. Knowing who did what and how will enable us improve our intelligence gathering capacity and be more proactive in dealing with security issues.

 Certainly, the gravity of the offence of these terrorists makes it imperative for their trial to be conducted in the open. We want the outside world to believe that ours is an open and democratic system. Therefore, we must be seen to act like one. Soon after the arrest of the suspected terrorists, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) stated its position clearly and it was that it was opposed to a secret trial which might deny them a fair hearing, a fundamental requirement of justice.

It also means that the suspects should be allowed to choose the lawyers to represent them in court who must have unfettered access to their clients. Peoples Daily identifies with the NBA position as it is in line with the tenets of democracy and rule of law. 

Apart from this concern for fair hearing, there is the question of under what law the trial will be conducted. Ordinarily, it should be under an anti-terrorism piece of legislation. However, as it is, none exists as yet. There is an executive bill that has been languishing in the two chambers of the National Assembly since the presidency of late Umaru Yar’adua.  No one but the members of the National Assembly can tell better why a bill as important as that has not been passed into law.

Another question is whether criminal elements in the Niger Delta who have spurned the federal government’s amnesty should still be called militants? That term dignifies them and their violent conduct. We believe the term that truly defines them is “terrorists”; nothing less odious will do. These hooligans are not relenting in their evil deeds like the blowing up of petroleum pipelines and kidnapping of expatriate workers. The time has come to call a spade and spade and handle it as such. The Independence Day bomb blasts, coming at the time they did, only went to how far amnesty has emboldened the terrorists.

If amnesty and the elevation of one of their own to the position have not been enough to appease those crying of marginalisation and neglect, we do not what will. The weight of the law must be brought down hard on the terrorists-openly. 

With the  commencement of Nigeria Labour Congress’s (NLC) three-day warning strike today over government’s failure to agree on a time frame for the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage of N18,000 as recommended  by the Justice Alfa Belgore Committee, there is certainly the need for both sides  to seriously rethink their respective positions in the interest of industrial harmony and the larger society.