Intriguing! Intriguing! Intriguing! Icheoku says this is greater than a bombshell and would pass for a nuclear detonation of the Nagasaki and Hiroshima magnitude. Abhorable indeed if it is true, the allegation by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to former military dictator General Sani Abacha, that the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria took blood money of the murdered Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola from the then Nigerian government headed by General Abdulsalam Abubakar and then sold out on the June 12th mandate?Icheoku says this scandal is greater than America's Watergate and demands an immediate and exhaustive investigation geared towards bringing to book, all the culprits involved and those who are otherwise implicated in the murder of a Nigeria's president-elect and philanthropist extra-ordinaire, Chief MKO Abiola - a fully detribalized Nigerian with a very benevolent large heart. What makes this allegation more horrendously riveting is the assertion by Mustapha that he has the conspiracy to murder Abiola and the actual murder of Abiola recorded on a videotape? Icheoku hereby demands that Mustapha make this tape or tapes public or in the alternative, copies of them available to CNN, Al-Jazera, Nigeria-tilted on-line websites for security purposes before those implicated henchmen of Nigeria secures the tapes by all means necessary including torturing his mother and family to death to make him yield those incriminating tapes. Going to the Attorney General of Nigeria with the evidence, as would be the case in more civilized and functional State-hoods, is a waste of time as the AG might dismiss it in the same manner as he dismissed Ibrahim Babangida's Iraqi Oil Windfall papers.
However, it is possible that Mustapha is bluffing by alleging the existence of some non-existent tapes; so the government of Nigeria owes it to the world to clear its name in this complicity by insisting that those tapes be made public or at least, let Mustapha recant or withdraws his damaging accusation that Chief MKO Abiola was murdered by the Nigeria State. Pressure should be mounted on Mustafa and if it means in exchange for his freedom that those tapes be made public. Icheoku does not see any reason why a government that is willing to negotiate and is negotiating with Boko Haram Islamic terrorist cannot strike a deal with its prisoner Mustapha, in order to solve a murder of the magnitude that was Abiola's killing while in the custody of the Nigerian government. A government continuing in the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan, as the baton of governance which Abdulsalam Abubakar handed over to Olusegun Obasanjo was in turn handed down to President Goodluck Jonathan; who stands now to answer for the alleged atrocity of the government of Nigeria that allegedly murdered Chief MKO Abiola.
So Icheoku asks, who knows what and who did what? Who ordered the hit on Abiola and who carried it out? Was Jerry 'Boy" Useni in the know or was he an accomplice to murder of both Abiola and Abacha? Who played what role? What does Mustapha's video tape contain - giving him the benefit of doubt that he spoke the truth and was not bluffing when he alleged that he has some tapes? Did he secure the tapes in a bank vault or are they in a safe deposit box somewhere outside the country or with his lawyers? Times like this, make many honest Nigerians nostalgic about the late Gani Fawehinmi and Icheoku wishes he was still around to assert himself on this allegation. Who else outside Abdulsalam Abubakar, who ordered the payment of the hush blood money to the Yorubas over the murder of a Nigeria's president elect, Chief MKO Abiola, knows what went down or instigated and hatched the heinous plot?
As Icheoku read the account of this criminality, the spine shuddered and the hand trembled that the Nigeria State could so coldly terminate the life of a man, so endeared in the hearts of millions of Nigerians and in this cavalier manner; and was impetuous enough to pay bribe to the Yorubas to buy their silence and keep them quiet? The then government of Nigeria forgot too quickly that Abiola was only Yoruba by birth and that the whole Nigeria was his home and constituency; that the mandate that Abiola had was held in a sacred trust on behalf of millions of Nigerians who overwhelmingly voted for him regardless of the fact that his was a full Islamic ticket - himself and his vice presidential candidate who are both Muslims; and that he did not represent just the Yoruba people? They also forgot that Abiola was literally speaking the most Nigerian of any Nigerian man or woman and that he was widely loved both for his philantrophy and for his taking wives from practically every conceivable place in Nigeria. Chief MKO Abiola was in short, a brother and inlaw to all Nigerians; yet his blood money was paid only to and accepted by the Yoruba people?.
According to Al-Mustapha, the sums of $200 million, £75 million and N200 million were respectively withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the orders of then Head of State army man Abdulsalam Abibakar and was used to appease and buy out the Yoruba people and their agitation for June 12th effectively terminating the quest about what happened to the prospective president of Nigeria? Icheoku says this is a very damning allegation and if true, these Yoruba leaders should be ashamed of themselves for betraying and selling out one of their own and just for some millions of colored and printed papers? Judas Iscariot at least committed suicide to appease the pangs of similar betrayal of our Lord Jesus Christ and Icheoku expects nothing less from these Yoruba leaders; admitted they would claim that they did not pawn Abiola up but only collected some money following his death? To this school of thought, Icheoku says blood money is blood money and it does not matter when it was collected whether pre-killing or post-killing since the objective and purpose remains the same - to make responsibility for the murder just go away.
Icheoku wonders who constituted these Yoruba leaders that partook of Abiola's blood money in lieu of realizing June 12th in whatever capacity or symbolism? Did Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Lagos, Oba of Benin, Soun of Ogbomosho, Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Obasanjo, Segun Osoba, Adedibu and whoever still leads or serves as a Yoruba leader partake of this blood money? If yes, they should take ropes to Olumo Rocks and with nooses formed, yield their respective ghosts; and if no, they should forcefully demand an a full investigation into the allegation of Chief MKO Abiola's murder followed with a full page apology from Mustapha for slandering them, since accusing fingers are already pointing at them being the known and apparent Yoruba leaders then and still subsisting till date. They must force the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan to set up an investigative panel to liaise with detained Major Mustapha to disclose what the knows about how Chief MKO Abiola was murdered by the Nigeria state. If this could happen to Abiola it could happen to anybody and these Northern Nigeria Islamists have got some guts to just kill Abiola in such cavalier manner just as they did Igbo's Agunyi Ironsi and without consequences?
Icheoku says times like this should put into the cooler the saying that "vengeance is mine says the lord" and let all that are complicit in the state-murder of MKO Abiola pay the price and NOW! What does Olusegun Obasanjo know, afterall he was president immediately following Abdulsalam Abubakar handing over in 1999? Was it part of the bargain for him to sweep everything under the rug and if, why did he sell short his Yoruba race by not being audacious enough to unmask Abiola's killers? If Northern Nigeria Islamists could demand and are getting the prosecution of those brave security officers who killed Boko Haram leaders, why would the killers of the world 's respected businessman Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola not at least be outed and prosecuted?
Icheoku's head is almost popping out of its cranial container as this allegation is analyzed and thoughts thereto put here in e-prints. Put in another way, it is both hair-raising and bone-chilling that a crime of this magnitude could take place in Nigeria and among Nigeria's higher ups and people are still keeping quiet about it? Where is Pastor Tunde Bakare on this? Although Professor Wole Soyinka is now retired but at least Icheoku expects him to issue a statement? Where is Femi Falana on this and is there going to be a request for information leading to Abiola's death and a verification of the Central bank records for the withdrawals of $200 million, 75 million pounds and 200 million Naira for collaborative evidence of the alleged. Where is Afenifere, Oha n'Eze Ndigbo, Arewa and other assemblies of Nigerians demanding an investigation into the state-murder of a man who they gave their mandate to be their president? Sometimes Nigerians' complacency is very unnerving and this is the bane of a society that still wallows in the magnitude of oppression that obtains therein where no one wants to sacrifice for the greater good of the society. Were Nigeria Syria or Libya, the revolution there would have petered off once the first shot rang out of the government army's tank or rifle as everybody scampers for safety as Fela put it, "Nobody wants to die" and you ask yourself what is a life in bondage really worth?
However Mustafa failed to disclose to Nigerians and the world at large how much blood money was paid to Kano State leaders and all other leaders of the Islamic Sharia North on Abacha's own head if truly Abacha was himself killed too and did not die of penile-vein embolism as a result of some ingested tainted-viagra? Or is Mustafa by this allegation, just trying to incite a revolution among Yoruba youth against their leaders for not only selling out on their cause but for keeping the millions of blood money to themselves by his selective amnesia regarding midget of Kano's own paid hush blood money? Fair disclosure demands that Mustapha makes full and complete disclosure of this alleged murders and also release the said tape/s now in order to force the hands of Nigeria government to act on the murders or at least secure them a world-wide ridicule and opprobrium for being a state that murders her citizens in cold blood including a president-elect?
There is a lot of things gone and still going awry in Nigeria - a painted putrid sepulcher of a place that is oozing with morbidity and no one wants to do anything about it in order to fix it? Could someone please tell Icheoku that President Goodluck Jonathan is not one of the inside-men and part of the problems with Nigeria; otherwise where is his promised reform of the country? At least he could start by instituting a judicial panel to zealously pursue an Abiola's murder inquiry? He could start by asking the Imam of the Central bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to confirm or deny the alleged withdrawals made at the Central bank and should in addition summon Chukwuma Soludo to give his own insight as the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who must have had a whiff about such large cache of cash moving out of the bank vaults. But before Icheoku forgets, let Nigeria not forget that Nigeria's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige was similarly murdered by the State during Olusegun Obasanjo government, yet no investigation has been conclusively carried out till date to unearth his killers. If Bola Ige's killing was not carried out by the high and mighty State or at least with its tacit approval and support, how else could a serving Nigeria Attorney General and Minister of Justice be killed during dinner with his family and in his home, with the number of security officials guarding him that were supposed to provide him with round the clock security? It simply does not add up and defies every logic. Nigeria, a country standing and walking on its head and somebody says, it go better?
Icheoku wonders who constituted these Yoruba leaders that partook of Abiola's blood money in lieu of realizing June 12th in whatever capacity or symbolism? Did Ooni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Lagos, Oba of Benin, Soun of Ogbomosho, Bola Tinubu, Olusegun Obasanjo, Segun Osoba, Adedibu and whoever still leads or serves as a Yoruba leader partake of this blood money? If yes, they should take ropes to Olumo Rocks and with nooses formed, yield their respective ghosts; and if no, they should forcefully demand an a full investigation into the allegation of Chief MKO Abiola's murder followed with a full page apology from Mustapha for slandering them, since accusing fingers are already pointing at them being the known and apparent Yoruba leaders then and still subsisting till date. They must force the hands of President Goodluck Jonathan to set up an investigative panel to liaise with detained Major Mustapha to disclose what the knows about how Chief MKO Abiola was murdered by the Nigeria state. If this could happen to Abiola it could happen to anybody and these Northern Nigeria Islamists have got some guts to just kill Abiola in such cavalier manner just as they did Igbo's Agunyi Ironsi and without consequences?
Icheoku says times like this should put into the cooler the saying that "vengeance is mine says the lord" and let all that are complicit in the state-murder of MKO Abiola pay the price and NOW! What does Olusegun Obasanjo know, afterall he was president immediately following Abdulsalam Abubakar handing over in 1999? Was it part of the bargain for him to sweep everything under the rug and if, why did he sell short his Yoruba race by not being audacious enough to unmask Abiola's killers? If Northern Nigeria Islamists could demand and are getting the prosecution of those brave security officers who killed Boko Haram leaders, why would the killers of the world 's respected businessman Chief Moshood Kolawole Abiola not at least be outed and prosecuted?
Icheoku's head is almost popping out of its cranial container as this allegation is analyzed and thoughts thereto put here in e-prints. Put in another way, it is both hair-raising and bone-chilling that a crime of this magnitude could take place in Nigeria and among Nigeria's higher ups and people are still keeping quiet about it? Where is Pastor Tunde Bakare on this? Although Professor Wole Soyinka is now retired but at least Icheoku expects him to issue a statement? Where is Femi Falana on this and is there going to be a request for information leading to Abiola's death and a verification of the Central bank records for the withdrawals of $200 million, 75 million pounds and 200 million Naira for collaborative evidence of the alleged. Where is Afenifere, Oha n'Eze Ndigbo, Arewa and other assemblies of Nigerians demanding an investigation into the state-murder of a man who they gave their mandate to be their president? Sometimes Nigerians' complacency is very unnerving and this is the bane of a society that still wallows in the magnitude of oppression that obtains therein where no one wants to sacrifice for the greater good of the society. Were Nigeria Syria or Libya, the revolution there would have petered off once the first shot rang out of the government army's tank or rifle as everybody scampers for safety as Fela put it, "Nobody wants to die" and you ask yourself what is a life in bondage really worth?
However Mustafa failed to disclose to Nigerians and the world at large how much blood money was paid to Kano State leaders and all other leaders of the Islamic Sharia North on Abacha's own head if truly Abacha was himself killed too and did not die of penile-vein embolism as a result of some ingested tainted-viagra? Or is Mustafa by this allegation, just trying to incite a revolution among Yoruba youth against their leaders for not only selling out on their cause but for keeping the millions of blood money to themselves by his selective amnesia regarding midget of Kano's own paid hush blood money? Fair disclosure demands that Mustapha makes full and complete disclosure of this alleged murders and also release the said tape/s now in order to force the hands of Nigeria government to act on the murders or at least secure them a world-wide ridicule and opprobrium for being a state that murders her citizens in cold blood including a president-elect?
There is a lot of things gone and still going awry in Nigeria - a painted putrid sepulcher of a place that is oozing with morbidity and no one wants to do anything about it in order to fix it? Could someone please tell Icheoku that President Goodluck Jonathan is not one of the inside-men and part of the problems with Nigeria; otherwise where is his promised reform of the country? At least he could start by instituting a judicial panel to zealously pursue an Abiola's murder inquiry? He could start by asking the Imam of the Central bank of Nigeria Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi to confirm or deny the alleged withdrawals made at the Central bank and should in addition summon Chukwuma Soludo to give his own insight as the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria who must have had a whiff about such large cache of cash moving out of the bank vaults. But before Icheoku forgets, let Nigeria not forget that Nigeria's former Attorney General and Minister of Justice Chief Bola Ige was similarly murdered by the State during Olusegun Obasanjo government, yet no investigation has been conclusively carried out till date to unearth his killers. If Bola Ige's killing was not carried out by the high and mighty State or at least with its tacit approval and support, how else could a serving Nigeria Attorney General and Minister of Justice be killed during dinner with his family and in his home, with the number of security officials guarding him that were supposed to provide him with round the clock security? It simply does not add up and defies every logic. Nigeria, a country standing and walking on its head and somebody says, it go better?
Babalola, Falomo ask Al-Mustapha to name Yoruba leaders bribed over Abiola’s death
ReplyDeleteWEDNESDAY, 03 AUGUST 2011 00:00 FROM MUYIWA ADEYEMI (HEAD, SOUTH-WEST BUREAU, ADO-EKITI) NEWS - NATIONAL
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SOME Yoruba leaders have reacted to allegations by Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Gen. Sani Abacha, that some Yoruba leaders were compromised over the death of Chief M.K.O Abiola, challenging him to mention the names of those involved.
Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, died in mysterious circumstances while in detention in the course of the struggle to reclaim his mandate.
Al-Mustapha had, while opening his defence at the Lagos High Court over his alleged role in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, alleged that some Yoruba leaders were offered huge amount of money to appease the public over the death of Abiola.
While the personal physician to the late politician, Dr. Ore Falomo, said he was not surprised that Al-Mustapha spoke the obvious, a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), challenged the former CSO to mention the names of Yoruba leaders who collected bribe and compromised investigation into the death of the late business mogul.
Babalola who spoke to journalists through phone in Ado-Ekiti yesterday said: “I have just read the statement credited to Al-Mustapha, but he should be bold enough to mention names of Yoruba leaders that collected money.”
Though his statement is not actionable by an individual, but in the interest of Yorubaland, Al-Mustapha should be bold enough to mention the names of those who collected money from the military.”
Falomo said he has revealed it before that some Yoruba leaders played some questionable roles in the death of Abiola and asked the government to probe why Abacha denied all efforts made by the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) to see Abiola before his death.
Falomo also said Nigerians should ask why the then military Head of State, Gen. Abubakar Abdulsalami, went to the United States (U.S.) and met American President in the White House in military uniform shortly after Abiola was killed.
According to Falomo, “U.S. never allowed any military dictator to enter the White House in uniform but Abdulsalami was given that special privilege”.
He said though he doubted the ability of President Goodluck Jonathan to probe the death of Abiola, he strongly believed that both Abdulsalami and former President Olusegun Obasanjo have more information on who and how Abiola was killed
Al-Mustapha should name S’West leaders bribed by military – Falae, others
ReplyDeleteBy Ademola Babalola, Tunde Odesola, Sunday Aborisade, Femi Makinde, Kemi Obasola and Gbenga Adeniji, Kemi Obasola and Gbenga Adeniji
Wednesday, 3 Aug 2011
Did South-West leaders collect billions of Naira in bribes to look the other way when the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, died under suspicious circumstances13 years ago?
Ex-Chief Security Officer to the late dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza al-Mustapha, said they did. But on Tuesday some of the political leaders of the region during this turbulent period fiercely denied ever receiving bribes to be compromised over the death of their late kinsman.
Incumbent leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Chief Reuben Fasoranti; National Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Bisi Akande; former Minister of Transport during the Abacha regime, Chief Ebenezer Babatope; and legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola, dismissed the allegation by al-Mustapha.
Al-Mustapha had told a Lagos State High Court on Monday that monies in three tranches of $200m, E75m and N500m were withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria to appease South-West leaders over the death of Abiola.
He said the payments were made to the leaders by the government of Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) to douse tension in the region following the death of Abiola on July 7, 1998.
Al-Mustapha told the court that Abiola was indeed killed by those he alleged wanted “to balance the equation” after the death of Abacha a month earlier on June 8.
Fasoranti denied knowledge of the alleged ‘settlement’ and wondered how the ex-CSO could make such an allegation now when the South-West was just trying to forget the ugly episode of the death of Abiola. “It (the Al-Mustapha allegation) is a surprise to me. I am not aware that anybody was ‘settled’ over the death of Abiola and I was sufficiently in a strategic position to know that. I should have been informed but honestly, I was not aware, hence the allegation is not true,” the octogenarian told one of our correspondents via the telephone on Tuesday.
On his part, Akande disproved the claim by al-Mustapha, saying there was no way “Yoruba leaders who were anti-Abacha could have sold Abiola out.”
Akande, who spoke through his media assistant, Mr. Lani Baderinwa, said true Yoruba leaders fighting to restore Abiola’s mandate could not have sold him out.
“You sure know the category of Yoruba leaders al-Mustapha was talking about,” Akande, a former governor of Osun State, said.
Babatope, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Peoples Democratic Party, said the allegation by al-Mustapha was too skeletal, urging him to shed light on his claims.
Babatope, who said al-Mustapha had been kept in prison for too long, stressed that South-West leaders were too disciplined and would not have cheapened themselves by selling Abiola out.
He said, “When al-Mustapha finally secures his freedom, he should shed light on his claims. For now, we should not reach valid conclusions yet.”
Former Presidential candidate of the defunct Alliance for Democracy, Chief Olu Falae, dared al-Mustapha to mention the names of the South-West leaders who received the inducement.
Falae said, “I challenge Al-Mustapha to name those who took money from the military so as to placate the South-West over the killing of late Chief MKO Abiola. I can boldly say that no authentic member of Afenifere, like Chief Ayo Banjo, late Daodu, Chief Ayo Fasanmi and Sir Olanihun Ajayi collected a dime from anybody whatsoever as we can never condescend or betray our conscience because of money or for anything else for that matter.”
Reacting to al-Mustapha’s allegation, a leader of Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, challenged Al-Mustapha and Abdulsalami Abubakar to go the whole hog by listing the names of the South-West leaders, who were settled with huge sums of money over the death of Abiola.
Adebanjo, who spoke in a telephone interview with one of our correspondents, said “every Yoruba leader will be under suspicion” until al-Mustapha lists the names of the people involved for Abubakar to either refute or confirm the allegation.
ReplyDeleteBabalola also challenged al-Mustapha to name the Yoruba leaders who he alleged were bribed to help douse the tension in the region when Abiola died in detention in 1998.
Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said this in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, on Tuesday.
He said that although Al-Mustapha could not be sued by any individual because the allegation was a general statement, he challenged him to name the beneficiaries of the bribe.
“Al-Mustapha should be bold enough to give the names of those who were given the money. Although his statement is not actionable by an individual, in the interest of the whole Yoruba race, Al Mustapha should give name of the beneficiaries,” he said.
The lawyer said that the former CSO would assist the nation if he could mention the names of those who were paid the money.
The Chairman of Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr.Olawale Oshun, described the allegation as “a cry from a drowning man who was looking for ways to compromise the unity consciously being built by the Yoruba.”
He wondered why it took al-Mustapha so long to reveal what he had known since 13 years ago.
Abiola who contested the 1993 presidential race on the platform of the defunct Social Democratic Party won the election that was annulled by another ex-dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (retd.). He was detained by Abacha in 1994 after he had declared himself winner of the said election and remained incarcerated till July 7 when he died, allegedly after drinking tea in the presence of an American envoy, Susan Rice; ex-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan; and ex-Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, who had all come to negotiate the release of the late businessman
al-Mustapha Says Ige, Adesanya ‘Unconsciously Complicit’ In Abiola’s Death
ReplyDeleteFont size: THEWILL. 03/08/2011 18:58:00
MAJOR HAMZA AL-MUSTAPHA.
LAGOS, August 03, (THEWILL) - The late General Sani Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, Major Hamza al-Mustapha Wednesday named the slain former Minister of Justice, Chief Ajibola Ige and Late Pa Abraham Adesanya among those who were 'unconsciously complicit' in the murder of Bashorun MKO Abiola. Both men were leaders of the Pan-Yoruba group Afenifere and chieftains of the pro-democracy group, National Democratic Coalition, NADECO.
al-Mustapha, who is currently standing trial for allegedly ordering the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, explained during resumed cross-examination at a Lagos High Court, the roles the late Yoruba leaders allegedly played in the ‘murder’ of Bashorun Moshood Kolawole Olawale Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, Presidential Election.
On Monday, the accused person had alleged that the Federal Government withdrew various sums -- $200 million, £74million and N500, 000 from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to pacify some Yoruba leaders after the death of Abiola on July 7, 1998.
During the cross-examination, Mustapha claimed he reached an agreement with the former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar and gave a condition that “Abiola must be released and that after a short while, he should be given his mandate back.”
The former CSO also further explained that the Abdulsalami-led military government relieved him of his responsibility as the liaison officer to Abiola and replaced him with Bola Ige.
“I was the one in charge of Abiola’s protection and his liaison officer to the government. But the FG relieved me of the duty and appointed Bola Ige in place.
“Chief Bola Ige approved all the Very Important Personalities (VIPs) that visited Abiola. One of the VIP was the leader of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group-Afenifere; Abraham Adesanya,” al-Mustapha stated.
He added that after the sudden death of Abiola, he wrote an 11 page eleven letter to Ige, which he titled: “How you were unconsciously used in the murder of Abiola.”
He then presented a VHS video recording as evidence to the court as proof that indeed Bola Ige and other Yoruba leaders were frequent visitors to Aso Rock, the seat of government. The evidence was dully admitted by the presiding judge, Mojisola Dada, despite pleas from the prosecuting counsel. The video tape is scheduled for viewing in court tomorrow (Thursday).
The ex-CSO presented a second evidence of memos signed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar and his National Security Adviser (NSA), Abdullahi Mohammed which ordered the release of the funds from the CBN.
According to him, soft copies of the document were saved in the memory of a photocopier machine by his boys in the intelligence community, whom he had employed into the villa.
He said the federal government excuse for the withdrawal of the funds was to “carry out some roles on national security and pay some soldiers who were on peace keeping mission”, but instead the funds were used to pacify Yoruba leaders.
The memo was also admitted as evidence though the prosecuting counsel objected claiming “it is secondary evidence that was not verified by anybody.”
Justice Mojisola Dada said, “The evidence can be admitted on the ground of relevance” and then adjourned the case till Thursday (tomorrow), when she ruled that the video evidence will be played.
Al-Mustapha, a liar, blackmailer, says Adebanjo, Falae, Fasoranti, others
ReplyDeleteFormer Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamsat Al-Mustapha, yesterday has stirred the hornet’s nest by mentioning names of two leading Yoruba leaders who are already late as beneficiaries of the Federal Government’s largesse to scuttle the June 12, 1993 presidential poll struggle.
He mentioned Senator Abraham Adesanya, the leader of Afenifere and Chief Bola Ige (SAN), his deputy, both of blessed memory, as being among the leaders that allegedly collected money from the government to scuttle the release and restoration of the mandate given to the late Chief MKO Abiola.
Al-Mustapha mentioned the two names in the continuation of his defence over what transpired in the country during the June 12 struggle that led to the killing of several people and detention of the winner of the annulled election, Bashorun MKO Abiola who eventually died in detention in mysterious circumstance.
Earlier on Tuesday, when he alleged that some Yoruba leaders played the spoilers in Abiola’s case, some Yoruba leaders rose in unison to challenge him to mention names.
Having done so yesterday, some leaders, who were close to both the late Adesanya and Ige did not only laugh it off, they described Al-Mustapha as a “drowning man who wants to pull somebody along with him to the bottom of the ocean.
They, however, expressed disappointment that “rather than mention living persons that can defend themselves, he resorted to blackmailing the dead who cannot rise to challenge him.”
The first child of Senator Adesanya, Adebayo described the allegation against his late father as “false, laughable, ridiculous and difficult to believe,” wondering “how could somebody Al-Mustapha sent a killer squad after go back to Aso Rock to request for money.”
His words: “I know my father to be a straight forward, honest and credible person. His struggle to actualise Abiola’ mandate nearly caused him his life. Yet, he never relented in his efforts to see that through. He never, and could have ever collected a dime from anybody to jettison and scuttle the cause in which he believed passionately.
“If he had collected money from them, it would have shown in his lifestyle. He never lived in affluence. He built all his houses, (two in Lagos and one in Ijebu-Igbo) in the sixties before he joined active politics through which he fought for the cause of common man.
“Hamzat Al-Mustapha is a drowning man, who wants to pull somebody along with him to the bottom of the ocean. My father was a contented human being and I wonder why Al-Mustapha is saying that now and not when Papa was alive. He is not serious.”
Also, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, one of the closest associates of the late Pa Adesanya and Chief Bola Ige, condemned Al-Mustapha’s allegation describing it as “false and unfortunate.”
According to him, the allegation was not correct. Hear him: “I don’t believe him. May be he did not want to mention those people we suspect. Wasn’t he the person that sent Sgt. Rogers to kill Pa Adesanya? He is a blackmailer and should not be taken serious because the persons he mentioned were known for probity, justice and accountability. They could not have had anything to do with their money.”
The present leader of Afenifere, Chief Rueben Fasoranti, also described the allegation as “strange and difficult to believe,” saying “I know Adesanya for what he was as a man that stood for the truth, probity, honesty and justice.”
Throughout his life, Fasoranti said, he never lived an affluence life. He lived as an ordinary man with concern for the masses, wondering why Al-Mustapha waited for about six years and more after the demise of these two respected leaders before attempting to discredit them when they could no longer stand up to him to challenge him and defend themselves.
Yes, Yoruba leaders sold out –Gani Adams
ReplyDeleteBy Victor Ebimomi
Sunday, August 07, 2011
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National Coordinator of O’dua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, has warned that revelations by former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, on the alleged bribery scandal after the death of the presumed winner of June 12, 1993, presidential election, M.K.O Abiola, should not be dismissed with a wave of the hand.
He insisted there are elements of truth in Al-Mustapha’s claims based on what was experienced after MKO’s death. According to him, after Abiola’s death, those who were supposed to keep the fire burning against the then military regime of Abdusalami Abubakar suddenly played down the struggle.. He also explained that Yoruba people are known to demand for their rights but contrary to expectation after Abiola’s death those people became Abdusalami Abubakar’s friends.
“Mustapha’s statement is not a diversionary issue. There are some elements of truth in it, because we heard that some people connived to kill Abiola. “Besides, after Abiola’s death, they played down the struggle and suddenly became Abdusalam’s friends,” he said.
He added, “Why is it that instead of asking questions about their son that was killed, they were rushing to form political parties under the person that killed him, if there was nothing behind it?
Kudirat Abiola’s Son Attacks Al-Mustapha
ReplyDeleteSun, 07/08/2011 - 12:19am | ABDULAZIZ ABDULAZIZ and SHUAIB SHUAIB Cover Stories News
The testimony of the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Gen Sani Abacha, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, that leaders of the South-West held talks with a former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar, to ditch the mandate of a business mogul, the late Chief Moshood Abiola, have continued to generate fireworks as a son of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Yushau, has urged the ex-CSO to stop playing to the gallery and tell Nigerians who killed his mother.
The Lagos State government is prosecuting Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan for the murder of Kudirat, who was seeking for the revalidation of the June 12 presidential election that was won by her husband, the late MKO Abiola.
This is coming as, a former Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, Mr. Abubakar Tsav, has called on the police to undertake a thorough scrutiny of Al-Mustapha’s claims to avert another prolonged detention and death in jail just as a human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana said claims of compromise by Al-Mustapha on the part of Yoruba leaders was just a tip of the whole story of Kudirat and Abiola’s deaths.
Falana also asked Al-Mustapha to face the charges, saying the appropriate time would come when the full facts surrounding the killings of both Abiola and Abacha by all those who took part, including the involvement by an American delegation would be revealed.
But Yushau, one of the sons of late Abiola, had asked Al-Mustapha to address his alleged involvement in the murder of Kudirat and not to divert attention over the deaths of Gen. Abacha and the late Abiola. Speaking to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY yesterday, Yushau said his mother was killed two years before either Abacha or his father’s death, insisting that Al-Mustapha was involved in organising a driver and the person who killed her mother on June 4, 1996. He said the testimony of
Al-Mustapha before a Lagos High Court in Igbosere against Yoruba elders and Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar were diversionary and not relevant to the case at hand and hoped that the judge would not fall for it. He said, “In this case, my mother died two years before Abacha or my father’s death. No one is charging him for my father’s death.
He should not play with the intelligence of Nigerians, but most Nigerians are falling for this stunt. It is a stunt.” “The person that drove the car had admitted to it. The person that pulled the gun and shot her had admitted to it. He and his lawyers have consistently looked for ways to delay the trial. It is not the justice system. The Federal Government too is also delaying the cases.” On his part, Falana said, “Following the evidence provided by the Abiola family at the Oputa Commission of Inquiry, the Oputa panel recommended that the Abiola case be reopened for investigation.
With respect to the cold murder of Kudirat based on evidence by Barnabas Jamila (aka Sergeant Rogers) and others, the Oputa panel recommended that the case be speedily dealt with.”
ReplyDelete“In the ongoing trial, what is required of Al-Mustapha is to explain by way of defence, is for him to confront allegations that he was the one that sent an armed team to kill Kudirat. What is happening now is a diversionary ploy by the accused.
On whether Gen. Abubakar needed to defend his government and respond to allegations made by Al-Mustapha over Abiola and Abacha’s death, Falana said that that was a moral question and not legal issue.
But Tsav has called on the federal government to launch comprehensive investigation on the allegations made by former CSO on Abacha and Abiola.
In a statement made available to LEADERSHIP SUNDAY in Kano yesterday, Tsav said the federal government should investigate the issues to ascertain the veracity of the claims made by the former CSO.
The retired top police officer also urged the federal government to provide adequate security for Al-Mustapha , saying that, “Government must take steps to ensure that no harm is done to Al-Mustapha in his detention cell.”
He said, “Al-Mustapha has raised fundamental issues in his defence before a Lagos high court and Nigerians are anxious to know who killed Gen Abacha and MKO Abiola.
“It is necessary that this matter be discreetly investigated and the culprits known and brought to justice. Let us not allow this die like the Dele Giwa case. The false detention of General Ishaya Bamaiyi for over 10 years may have links with this. He must have been a threat too.”
Tsav also wondered “why people are so inhuman that they can jeopardise the lives of innocent others to cover their own grave crimes. I call on President Goodluck Jonathan to order investigation into Al-Mustapha’s revelations.”