My View

I Rest My Case!!!!

Had Nelson Williams Been Killed

With Theophilus Sahr Gbenda

No doubt, Retired Major General Alfred Claude Nelson Williams, former Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and now Deputy High Commissioner of Sierra Leone to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, was close to death following his recent capture and eventual release by a criminal gang in Kaduna, Nigeria.

How he got kidnapped has not been fully explained to us. Maybe there’s something to hide. What we all know however is that he was kidnapped and put on ’sale’ for the sum of $150,000. We also now know that he could not have been released had the ’purchase’ prize not fully and timely delivered.

This is a sweet business indeed that’s worthy a try. Imagine two or three young jobless guys just wake up in the morning and carelessly decide to get hold of a dignitary and then conveniently peg a price as condition for that dignitary to be released. This is unbelievable. I’ll love to try it if I have my way.

This is where Nelson Williams’ case differs. His kidnapping was a talk of town. Apart from the wide media coverage it attracted both locally and internationally, everybody’s ears were on the ground waiting for whatever news, good or bad, that comes out of his dilemma.

As uncertain as the situation was, people started coming up with quite ridiculous suggestions and some even issuing threats of reprisal should he be killed. One suggestion was that let the kidnappers don’t worry, they will deliver into their hands 20 parliamentarians from the ruling party and five ministers including Information Minister Mohamed Bangura, Foreign Affairs Minister Samura Kamara, Transport and Aviation Balogun Koroma and Resident Minister East Karamoh Kabba, while the kidnappers in turn handover to them the ransom for Nelson Williams.

Social media went viral on the issue throughout the duration of the kidnap episode, with views freely expressed by so many schools of thought.

It was obvious that the government had no clue whatsoever as to how to handle the situation. Little wonder why it relied entirely on the Government of Nigeria to take care. This is the reason why our government is tight lipped on the issue of ransom, as to whether it was paid or not. Speculations are even flying around that Retired Major General Nelson Williams escaped from captivity. Such speculations would not have arisen had the government been plain with the actual fact of the matter. A government spokesperson in a media interview on the issue stated categorically that no ransom was paid at all.

What is clear in this regard is that the ransom demanded by the gang was duly paid by the Nigerian Government through a licensed agent.

The question is how Mr. Williams could have regained his freedom without the %100 cooperation of the criminal gang that held him hostage for over 72 hours. The fact that the kidnap episode ended after the resurfacing of the captive is an indication of an amicable settlement.

The critical issue to thoroughly examine is how comes Mr. Williams was targeted. Could it have been by mere coincidence or something intentionally intentional? So many stories are coming up in this light, with some suggesting that it could have been a big deal and that Nelson himself could have been an accomplice.

Whatever it is, the good thing is that Nelson is back alive. Supposed he had been killed is a question lingering.

Assuredly, it would have had severe implications had he been killed. One obvious implication could have been a sour diplomatic relation between us and Nigerians as citizens and also between Sierra Leone and Nigeria as sovereignty states under international obligation to provide adequate security for host diplomats.

It may have even led to the closure of the Nigerian Embassy here by means of force and the likely targeting of Nigerians resident here and their numerous businesses.

It could have also put the safety of our Sierra Leonean compatriots resident in Nigeria in total jeopardy.

For all these clear implications, blame should be apportioned somewhere if only to avert what in many ways is an offshoot of an outright blunder.

In my humble opinion, the blame should go directly to Major General Retired Alfred Claude Nelson Williams.

As a highly placed security conscious personnel, it goes without saying that he acted rather recklessly to have ventured into a dangerous zone such as Kaduna where he was eventually kidnapped. In other words, he ought to have known better.

Imagine a one-time general and head of a whole army in the hands of armatures. This is quite a shame to himself, the RSLAF and the country as a whole.

This is a good reason why he should not go unpunished. If anything, he should undergo vigorous questioning.

It’s not enough to just blindly celebrate his release and then forget wholesomely about the implications his carelessness would have plunged the country and its citizenry into.

One thing we must not forget to take cognizance of is the capacity of our foreign embassies in terms of financial capacity and logistics.

Was it that Mr. Williams risked going by road because there was no provision for an alternative means to get to Kaduna? Going by aircraft no doubt was the best option giving the security implications.

Capacity or no capacity, Mr. Nelson Williams had the ultimate responsibility of determining whether going by road was safe enough for him to even put his life and those traveling with him including his driver at great risk.

Imagine his vehicle had been bombed by Boko Haram which is very much active in the area and then massacred in the process. This is nothing short of lack of due diligence in diplomatic protocols in relation to safety, travel time and the risk factor.

I rest my case!!!