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Tag: Al-Mustapha

  • al-Mustapha: Kwara OPC hails Lagos for challenging ruling

    The Kwara State Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) has hailed the decision of the Lagos State Government to challenge the discharge and acquittal of Major Hamza al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, at the Supreme Court.

    al-Mustapha had been on trial for about 15 years for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, the wife of the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 presidential elections, Bashorun Moshood Abiola.

    A Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, last month discharged and acquitted the former CSO of the murder.

    The OPC described al-Mustapha’s freedom as politically-motivated.

    It noted that the case portends grave danger to the country.

    The State OPC Coordinator Salam M. Olanrewaju said the steps taken by the Lagos State Government were in the right direction.

    Olanrewaju said: “In any country where rope is used tie an elephant is unsafe for human habitation. If a court, which has been referred to as the last hope of the common man, has now become an instrument for the manipulation of politicians, then that country is heading towards a disaster.

    “If a personality like Alhaja Kudirat Abiola could be murdered in cold blood and the perpetrators are not brought to justice, then something is wrong with our judicial system. It further shows that the entire country needs to be restructured.

    “The decision of the Lagos State Government to challenge the Appellate Court’s ruling renews the hope of the common man and good citizens of Nigeria to believe in equity and justice.”

    The OPC leader alleged that al-Mustapha’s release was aimed at enabling the Goodluck Jonathan administration to curry the support of the northerners for the 2015 general elections.

     

  • Kudirat Abiola: Lagos appeals Al-Mustapha’s acquittal

    Kudirat Abiola: Lagos appeals Al-Mustapha’s acquittal

    •’No going back on Ijora-Badia’

    The Lagos State government has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Mr. Lateef Shofolahan for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola by a lower court.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ade Ipaye, spoke yesterday during his ministry’s monthly media briefing.

    Ipaye said there were good grounds for the appeal but did not disclose them.

    He said: “Having carefully reviewed the decisions of the respected justices of the Court of Appeal, it is our humble view that there are strong grounds for appeal, which the Supreme Court should have an opportunity to consider.

    “This step will ensure that all issues are fully articulated and the victim’s family, the defendants and the society are not deprived of the last opportunity provided by the constitution for the resolution of the case.”

    The commissioner criticised the report of the Amnesty International and the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre on the eviction of Ijora-Badia East residents.

    He reiterated the administration’s commitment to the welfare of residents and the protection of their rights.

    Ipaye described majority of the people in Badia East as illegal residents, who admitted that they moved to the area because of the rehabilitation of the National Theatre complex by the Federal Government.

    He said: “Illegal settlements, unapproved buildings and unsanitary conditions cannot be justified, as these may end up in painful evictions or demolitions.”

    Ipaye said the area is a swampy strip of land and the least developed in the community, adding that it was cleared in 2003.

    He said: “The area was subsequently turned into a refuse dump by illegal residents, who erected shanties there. The area grew gradually into a small community characterised by all the negative features of an urban slum, including unstructured shelter arrangements, regular flooding, unhealthy environment, insecurity and all sorts of nefarious activities.”

    Ipaye said the government repossessed the area in furtherance of its policy to provide affordable estates with good infrastructure for the people.

    He said: “Before the state embarked on the development of 1,008 housing units in the area, Governor Babatunde Fashola, on April 26 and October 2, 2012, led top government officials to the area to sensitise residents and had several stakeholders’ meeting afterwards concerning the government’s intention.

    “The area of Badia in contention is one of the nine areas identified as slums and earmarked for regeneration under the World Bank-funded Lagos Metropolitan Development and Governance Project (LMDGP).”

    On alleged cases of under-aged prisoners, the commissioner said the state has put mechanisms in place to identify under aged defendants at every level of the criminal process.

     

  • ‘How a defective justice system freed al-Mustapha’

    ‘How a defective justice system freed al-Mustapha’

    The delay tactics by the defendants Based on the unassailable evidence led at the trial court and at the Oputa panel on the brutal assassination of Mrs. Abiola, the defendants decided to prolong the trial by resorting to various dilatory tactics. After the prosecution had led seven witnesses in evidence in the case the defendants applied for several adjournments.

    The trial within trial lasted for over a year. Many interlocutory appeals and applications for stay of proceedings pending the determination of appeals were also filed by the defendants. In dismissing one of the bail applications fought all the way to the Supreme Court the defendants and their counsel were cautioned by the Justices to cooperate with the trial court to bring the murder case to a speedy end “in the overall interest of the administration of criminal justice in this country.”

    When it became clear that the trial judge wanted to proceed with the case the defendants suddenly turned round to accuse him of having taken a bribe of $10 million to convict them. They also petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) which decided to investigate the allegation. In the circumstance, the murder case was suspended sine die to enable the panel set up by the NJC to investigate the alleged misconduct of the judge. At the end of the investigation which lasted for over a year the NJC committee found that the bribe allegation was a fluke as it could not be substantiated. The NJC gave the trial judge a clean bill of health and directed him to proceed with the trial. On resumption of hearing the trial judge was requested by the defendants to withdraw from the case on the ground that he was likely to be biased having been falsely accused by them. At that juncture, Justice Alabi recused himself from the case and it was assigned to another judge. Through such diversionary tactics the case lasted 13 years in the docket and was handled by five judges at different times before it was eventually concluded by Justice Modupe Dada.

     

    The conviction and acquittal

    After the trial had lasted for over a decade due to ceaseless adjournments mostly at the instance of the defendants Justice Dada rejected all fresh strategies designed to frustrate the trial. Curiously, the witness protection arrangement put in place by the federal government was discontinued. Not unexpectedly, some of the witnesses who had earlier on testified refused to show up in court. The star witness, Sergeant Rogers testified but decided to contradict himself by alleging undue influence on the part of the prosecution. In his own defence, Major Al-Mustapha alleged that the trial was politically motivated by two former heads of state. The late Pa Abraham Adesanya (who narrowly escaped Sergeant Rogers’ bullet) and Chief Bola Ige (who was gruesomely assassinated by unknown gunmen in December 2001) were alleged to have collected millions of pounds, dollars and naira from General Abdulsalami Abubakar to betray the June 12 mandate. But when the video recording of the much touted bribe was shown during the trial it turned out to be a ruse deliberately designed to divert the course of justice.

    In her considered judgment Justice Dada rejected the retraction of the confessional statements of the two prosecution witnesses in line with many decisions of the appellate courts to the effect that a trial court can still convict on a retracted confessional statement as long as the judex is satisfied with the truth of the statement. Having watched the demeanour of the witnesses when they testified before her the trial judge came to the conclusion that the prosecution had proved the case beyond reasonable doubt that both defendants were guilty of the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola. Accordingly, her ladyship convicted and sentenced them to death by hanging. Completely dissatisfied with the verdict both convicts challenged it at the Court of Appeal.

    Upon a critical review of the case the Court of Appeal found that the prosecution’s case was riddled with contradictions which ought to have been resolved in favour of the appellants. While condemning the shoddy investigation conducted by the police in the case the Court discharged and acquitted the appellants. As if that was not enough their ladyships descended on the trial judge for “allowing herself to be caught in the web of the conflict”. But convinved that justice has not been done to the deceased the Court of Appeal concluded thus, “ Assuming the culprit is at large, there is nothing hidden under the sun that will not be exposed. The Law of the Lord is perfect. His judgments are true and righteous altogether—Psalm 19:7—9”.

    With profound respect to the Court of Appeal it does not appear that “the culprit is at large”. Hence the Court criticised the prosecution for fielding Sergeant Rogers “as a prosecution witness instead of being charged with murder” when he had initially confessed to the shooting of the deceased. In Abacha v the State (supra) the Supreme Court had equally noted, with dismay, that “the criminals have not been charged”. In particular the court observed that “Sergeant Jabila (a.k.a Rogers) gave a graphic description of his involvement that if voluntary must amount to confession . He has not been charged with any offence”. While the Lagos state government has indicated its wish to challenge the judgment of the Appeal Court in the Al-Mustapha’s case at the Supreme Court it is high time that Sergeant Rogers and the members of the killer gang were charged with conspiracy and murder of Mrs Abiola. After all, there is no statute of limitation with respect to the offence of murder.

     

    Beyond the acquittal of Major Al-Mustapha

    Some members of the public who were not privy to the deliberate frustration of the trial by the defendants joined in the political campaign for their release while the trial was in progress. As impunity has become the order of the day the Lagos state Attorney-General was under tremendous political pressure to file nolle prosequi with a view to aborting the trial. No doubt, the judges and the prosecutors should be blamed for alllowing the defendants to exploit the loopholes in the criminal justice system to drag the trial for 13 years. Ironically, following their conviction by the Lagos high court the defendants ensured that the appeal filed against the judgment of the trial court was heard and determined within 15 months in spite of the congestion of cases in the Lagos division of the Court of Appeal.

    It is however pertinent to note that the Al-Mustapha trial has compelled the Lagos state government to amend the criminal procedure law. Thus, under the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2011, stay of proceedings pending appeal has been prohibited while the courts are precluded from entertaining preliminary objections filed by defendants until the prosecution has closed its case. Furthermore, confessional statements made by suspects are required to be vídeo recorded to avoid retraction by the defendands which often leads to trial within trial. Adjournments by parties designed to prolong criminal trials have also been banned. It can therefore be said that the case has put an end to the brazen manipulation of the criminal justice system by rich defendants and their lawyers

    In view of the incendiary statement credited to the factional leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress, Dr Faseun to the effect that Major Al-Mustapha is a victim of injustice he may wish to persuade his new political ally to sue the Lagos State Government for malicious prosecution. It is however doubtful whether Dr. Faseun has come across the comprehensive report of the Oputa Panel which specifically named Major Al-Mustapha as one of “perpetrators of gross violations of the rights of citizens under military rule”. Based on the unwarranted brutality meted out to many innocent persons by such torturers the Panel recommended that “those of them not yet retired or relieved of their jobs should be so retired forthwith”. On the suspicious death of Chief M.K.O Abiola and other politically motivated killings which characterised the darkest chapter of our political history the Panel recommended that the Federal Government should re-open such cases for “proper investigation”. But out of sheer class solidarity with the indicted characters the Olusegun Obasanjo Administration could not muster the political will to implement the recommendations of the Oputa Panel.

     

    CONCLUSION

    Those who have expressed genuine concern over the discharge and acquittal of Major Al-Mustapha and Mr Shofolahan should be reminded of the fact that General Ishaya Bamaiyi, Mr James Dambaba, Mohammed Rabo Lawal and Mohammed Aminu who had been tried for the attempted murder of Chief Abraham Adesanya and Chief Alex Ibru had been freed due to the fact that the witnesses who had made confessional statements decided to make a u-turn. In the same vein, those who were charged with the assassinations of Pa Alfred Rewane, Chief Bola Ige, Harry Marshal et al were left off the hook on the ground that the charges brought against them were not proved beyond reasonable doubt. With respect to the cases of Dele Giwa, Bagauda Kaltho, Jerry Agbeyegbe, Toyin Onagoruwa, Aminasoari Dikibo and several others the police did not even charge any suspect to court. Since thecriminal justice system of the neo-colonial state has virtually collapsed serious cases involving rich criminal suspects are usually lost in court due to either shoddy police investigation or prosecutorial irresponsibility.

    But suffice it to say that under the criminal justice system only the poor are successfully prosecuted for murder and sundry offences because they lack the resources to manipulate the criminal justice system. Ours has become a banana republic that is managed by a ruling class which cannot even protect the lives of its own members. As for the rest of the the society it has become a case of everyone for himself and God for us all. Hence, extra-judicial killing of unarmed citizens by security personnel and unofficial killer gangs is on the ascendancy. Instead of resigning to fate in the circumstance concerned individuals and organisations should be prepared to struggle for the establishment of a new society where impunity will be consigned to the dustbin of history. And the struggle should begin with a call on the Federal Government to disarm and disband the Strike Force and other killer groups set up by the State and well connected politicians for the violent elimination of their political opponents.

  • We’ve forgiven Al Mustapha, others, says Abiola’s son

    We’ve forgiven Al Mustapha, others, says Abiola’s son

    THE family of the acclaimed winner of the 1993 Presidential election, Chief Moshood Abiola, has forgiven those involved in the murder of his wife, Kudirat, one of his sons, Lekan, has declared.

    He spoke at the weekend during at the Ikeja Lagos residence of the late business mogul.

    Family members and children of the late Abiola observed the Sallah celebration with laughter and music.

    The atmosphere was brightened by the birthday ceremony organised by Abiola’s second son from late Kudirat, Alhaji Jamiu Abiola.

    Two of Jamiu’s children, Amne and Assydeen, turned five and one respectively.

    Lekan Abiola, the eldest son from the late Kudirat reacted to the July 12 acquittal of former Chief Security Officer (CS0) to General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza al-Mustapha and a former Protocol Officer to the late MKO, Alhaji Lateef Shofolahan, from the death sentence earlier proclaimed on them for killing his mother.

    He said: “We have forgiven them though the judgment goes a long way to show that this country needs a lot of help and divine intervention. There is not much we can do except pray that God comes to the aid of this country.”

    He added: “As Muslims, we have to accept whatever happens to us, the good and the bad. My mother was killed, she has gone, she is not going to come back for any reason again, whoever was involved would receive their punishment one day no doubt about that.

    “We have, however, left the judgment to God; we do not have any animosity towards anybody. If according to human law, the Nigerian law, they are said not to be guilty, then so be it.

    “One may escape human judgment but the judgment of God is still there. We harbour no anger any longer.

    “When we first heard the judgment, we felt bad, but with the passing of days and then the fasting period, we have left everything to God.”

     

  • Obas dissociate selves from Fasehun, Al-Mustapha’s romance

    YORUBA traditional rulers have dissociated themselves from the controversial romance between the founder of Odua People’s Congress (OPC), Fredrick Fasehun and the recently acquitted Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha.

    The monarchs described the development as an issue the Obas in Yorubaland should not be dragged into.

    Fasehun, it would be recalled, accompanied the former CSO to his residence in Kano State after his acquittal by the Lagos Division of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the earlier judgement of the lower court which sentenced him to death for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

    The development has generated controversies among the Yorubas, some of whom felt the murder of Kudirat Abiola in 1996 was allegedly masterminded by Al-Mustapha.

    But the Yoruba Obas Conflict Resolution Committee yesterday told journalists in Ibadan after the meeting of its sub-committee that the issue was political and would not want to be involved.

    The paramount ruler of Ugboland, Oba Fredrick Akinruntan, who briefed the journalists on the outcome of the meeting of the sub-committee, disclosed that the conflict resolution efforts had started to yield positive results with some of the hitherto non-commital Obas now showing interest and concern.

    The monarch recalled that the cardinal programme of the committee was to ensure that the Obas speak with one voice without which the issue of marginalisation being currently suffered by the Yorubas at the federal level could not be properly addressed.

    To ensure the realisation of its set objectives of unity among Yoruba Obas, the Olugbo of Ugbo kingdom disclosed that his committee would soon embark on visits to all the Obas in the South-West geo-political zone to brief them of its activities and solicit for their unerstanding and cooperation.

    Olugbo, who is the Chairman of the committee said, “We are convinced of achieving our set objective of ensuring the desired unity among the Obas in Yorubaland and when we are set to move round, we are sure of very warm reception and positive disposition to our cause.”

     

  • FRSC Ogere; Al Capone & Al Mustapha: Court Marshal? Electricity Power play

    A  response by Dapo A on lane mile costs in America came. Please note that a kilometre is 0.62miles. So the 132km former Lagos-Ibadan Expressway is just 78miles. In the USA, in urban areas, widening costs $2.4 –$6.9 million per lane-mile. In rural areas, $1.6 – $3.1 million per lane-mile. So draw your own conclusions about JuliusBerger/RCC costs and the 48 month contract for 78 miles.

    The now permanent FRSC Ogere roadblock actually breaks the law by narrowing the two lane federal highway to one lane. It is manned by officers standing in the expressway stopping vehicles. The FRSC man actually smashed the mirror of a vehicle dodging arrest, making the FRSC at Ogere a nuisance, a laughing stock and a cause of traffic jams. The FRSC team, as an obstruction at Ogere, has replaced the trailers moved to parks. Is there no one in FRSC with love of country and authority to dismantle this menace? Deliberate, unnecessary and malicious narrowing of the expressway which takes 60-100 cars a minute to one lane is a punishable and towable offence. Who will tow the FRSC? The possession of a uniform must not promote illegality.

    Let the FRSC re-learn the ‘Soyinka’ civilised ways of road safety and not ‘go slow’. FRSC should promote ‘Right lane driving’ and fight over-speeding. Most commercial vehicles take off from motor parks. FRSC/ NURTW joint motor park inspection, ‘particulars’ checks, load assessments, monitoring, registration and passenger manifests will improve the rights of citizens to a safe journey. Install an ‘FRSC Desk’ in every motor park. Who at FRSC is listening? As for the illegal vehicles, the ‘Stop’ method must be applied in a more ‘Keep Traffic Moving’ friendly manner. FRSC needs to get more success with ‘Preventive FRSC Road Safety Strategies’. Prevention is better than cure.

    Al Mustapha is still in the Nigerian Army. Is he a military role model? As Abacha’s Chief Security Officer, CSO, Al Mustapha’s tenure ‘witnessed’ many targeted, attacked and murdered citizens by ‘someone’ using the Army as ‘cover’. There are several explanations. Perhaps the CSO was innocent but incredibly irresponsible and stupid amounting to gross incompetence, negligence of duty and malicious military malfeasance. Perhaps Al Mustapha was the hands-on military leader of a devil team. Perhaps the victims did kill themselves as suggested by that government.

    Sometimes you do not catch criminals for what they do, but for what they do not do. Al Capone was not jailed for murder but for tax evasion. Is there a parallel between Al Mustapha and Al Capone? They both begin with ‘Al’. They ‘are’ both ‘smooth customers’, considered nasty pieces of work. Fifteen years on, the army must exonerate itself and tell of the Al Mustapha Days. Did he acquit himself as an officer and a gentleman? Should the army sit in judgement on the irrefutable, activities of Major Al Mustapha? The army could consider a Court Marshal for ‘Actions Unbecoming of a Nigerian Officer, let alone a gentleman’.

    There will be a flurry of intimidation, ‘let time heal all wounds’ and let ‘bygones be bygones’ as ‘the blood is dry’. Someone will play the ethnic card of North Vs South or even Kano vs. Katsina and the Yar’Adua connection or the Abubakar financial issues. Then there is the Abacha loot still in safe houses? Al Mustapha will have money, Governor of Kano State, Kakwanso has promised, as he seeks a successor. Even Hitler was never tried, but guilty as sin and won by democratic elections and then unleashed evil. Germany lost that war but has gained the same superpower status through peace. A strong lesson for war mongers seeking to write stupid memoirs to themselves. Thank God for Brig Gen Alabi-Isama for putting the records of Obasanjo’s forgetful ‘My Command’ straight! We must counter with money for prosecution. We must donate to a fund, ‘Abacha Victims Justice Fund’, to get justice – civil, military or moral- before the next generation of Al Mustaphas appear.

    The risk of silence in this matter will accelerate the choreographed ‘Rehabilitation of Al Mustapha’ and the dancing on the graves of ‘The Abacha Dead’. In addition Al Mustapha could be rehabilitated in the army and ‘God Forbid’, be given 15 years back-pay, honourable discharge or promotion. There are enough SANs, resting between political tribunal trials, to suggest that he may sue for ‘wrongful incarceration’ even though he was responsible for most of the court ‘adjournments’. If we are not attentive we may soon be facing Senator, Governor Al Mustapha of Kano State, Minster of Defence, Vice President and President Al Mustapha. After all, many did no less ‘Honourable and Distinguished’ things than Al Mustapha to get into nasty National Assembly, NASS.

    The Abacha Dead have families’ ruined financially and emotionally. What compensation does victims of government violence get when politicians crazily and serially award ‘Life Salaries and Allowances- SAP’- to already fat-cat principal NASS officers? NASS, is there a ‘Victims of Government Violence Compensation Act’ or even an artistic masterpiece monument to the ‘The Abacha Dead’ taller than evil, wider than devilry. For Nigeria’s children to live in peace, we adults, must face our suspected killers and their mentors or lose our children in our lifetime.

    Meanwhile, where is Nigeria’s needed 100,000Mw of electric power? Stolen or lost in Nigeria’ power play?

    Power supply is not nuclear physics; the countries with power have good governance, not criminal politicians with two heads.

  • As al-Mustapha prepares to join PDP…

    As al-Mustapha prepares to join PDP…

    When Major Hamza al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, General Sani Abacha was recently discharged and acquitted of change of murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Bashorun M.K.O Abiola, by an Appeal Court in Lagos, it felt like somebody messing in ones mouth and putting salt as well, as the Yoruba would say.

    The mess, one can’t swallow, the salt one cannot spit out, if you understand what that means. It was a sweet/bitter verdict that could be described as both victory and defeat for justice at the same time. To al-Mustapha and family, it was victory for justice while the Abiola family naturally felt otherwise. I guess most Nigerians felt the same way as the Abiolas but because the appellate court had spoken, are resigned to leaving everything in the hands of God, the ultimate judge.

    But the Lagos state government (the prosecutor in this case) I guess, might not be inclined to handing over to God yet, as there is still one window of appeal to the Supreme Court left and might be willing to explore that, if only to be seen to have tried everything legally possible to get what the majority (at least in the South west) believes to be justice in this celebrated murder case.

    I deliberately refused to join the bandwagon in condemning or praising al-Mustapha’s acquittal for obvious reasons even though I smelt rat in the whole thing. I could see politics at play here even though one could not point at any particular politician as being behind it. But with speculations in the air that al-Mustapha is about to pitch his tent with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), coupled with the reception he got when he visited the Government House in Kano shortly after his release, one needs no soothsayer to conclude that the former CSO had the support of the ruling party while his trial lasted.

    It might not be out of place to also conclude that the powers that be in the north were sympathetic towards al-Mustapha’s cause as could be seen not only in the enthusiastic welcome he had received so far from his home region, but also in the shocking silence of that class on how to get justice for the Abiolas, after all somebody shot and killed Kudirat and the person was acting under somebody’s order. So, who did it and who gave the order? Until that person or those people are found and punished, al-Mustapha remains guilty in the minds of the people here, the show of shame by Dr Fredrick Faseun of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) hailing his acquittal notwithstanding.

    In spite of the court’s verdict, if al-Mustapha and his co-accused as they were then, had a hand in Kudirat’s murder or any of the numerous unresolved murders of the Abacha era, definitely they will not go unpunished, both here and in the hereafter.

    My concern here is not even about their punishment if they were indeed involved in the murder, but the red carpet being given to al-Mustapha in particular as if (the murder case apart) he was a honourable, just and competent officer while he held court as the unseen number two in the administration of the late maximum ruler. Don’t forget that al-Mustapha, a mere Major in the Nigerian Army was more powerful than most of his seniors, Major Generals et al including the official second in command in that regime, a three-star General, Lt. General Oladipo Diya. After Abacha, no other person was most feared than al-Mustapha.

    Have we suddenly forgotten all those revelations made at the Oputa panel about the activities of the death squad of that regime that were answerable only to al-Mustapha? Has anybody been punished? If al-Mustapha had no hand in the killing of Kudirat what of the other crimes committed under his watch as CSO? Are we sweeping such under the carpet or has he been cleared? Until we are told that the man is free of all the baggage attached to him as Abacha’s CSO, it would be wrong to parade him as a kind of a hero or victim of vendetta as he wants us to believe. It would even be worse if any political party should roll out the red carpet for him and admit him into its fold.

    It is unfortunate that the PDP already smells opportunities for electoral gains in the release of al-Mustapha, and the young man himself seems to wants to make political capital of it. Apart from visiting the Government House, Kano, controlled by the PDP, shortly after his release, he had been making some political comments and visitations as well.

    He was at the Abuja home of the leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo at the weekend where he was beating his chest as being the one whose actions shortly after Abacha’s death gave birth to this democracy. Can you imagine that, coming from an al-Mustapha? He wants us to praise him for not taking over power then, which he could have easily done according to him if he wanted to. What an insult? I think the young man is better advised to take it easy and lie low for some time and not reopen healing wounds. His choice of words and association tend to portray a man with an exaggerated view of his value. The Asari-Dokubo that he visited would either be in detention or a dead man under the Abacha administration that he served. We have not forgotten who killed Ken Saro Wiwa.

    In any case politics they say is all about interest. So, an Asari-Dokubo can hobnob with an al-Mustapha? Wonders shall never cease. All for a Jonathan presidency again in 2015? So all those derogatory things Asari-Dokubo has been saying about the north, what E. K Clark, the Ijaw leader has been saying against the Hausa/Fulani no longer hold water as long as al-Mustapha can help win the northern votes for President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015? Nigeria we hail thee.

    Since al-Mustapha’s release, different Ijaw groups and leaders have been failing over each other to outdo one another in hailing his acquittal, nothing wrong in that if only they are genuine and sincere, but we all know why; 2015. But al-Mustapha should remember the party story of the Biafran leader late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegu Ojukwu, who because he was granted pardon by the NPN government of President Shehu Shagari in the second republic, quickly joined the on his return from exile and took Ndigbo to NPN, thinking that the interest of his people, who had followed Dr Nnamdi Azikwe to NPP that time would be better protected in the ruling party, he was wrong. The rest is history.

    Nothing personal against al-Mustapha, but he should tread softly and realise that the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola is still fresh and hurting in our memory, beating his chest all over the place or jumping into the political arena would do nothing to heal the wounds, he needs to show remorse and seek ALLAH’s forgiveness for the pains he inflicted on so many Nigerians as Abacha’s CSO. This is more honourable than joining the political fray. A word for President Jonathan and his group as well, Nigerians are no fools again; our mumu don do.

     

  • PDP woos Al-Mustapha to win Yobe, Borno

    PDP woos Al-Mustapha to win Yobe, Borno

    Strong indications emerged yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party is trying to woo the recently-released Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to win Yobe and Borno states from the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP).

    The President and his strategists have also launched a fresh plot to win more states in the North-West in 2015.

    It was learnt that the permutations of the presidency is that the control of some states in the North-West and North- East could leave the North divided in 2015.

    The presidency was said to be trying to adopt the strategy of ex-President Shehu Shagari who in 1982 granted state pardon to the late Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

    The pardon had enabled the defunct ruling National Party of Nigeria(NPN) to make inroads into the South-East which was then controlled by Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe-led Nigerian Peoples Party(NPP).

    Investigation also indicated that PDP is trying to use Al-Mustapha leverage to checkmate its rebellious governors like Rabiu Kwankwaso(Kano), Aliyu Wammako (Sokoto); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).

    A reliable source said: “The plot is a two-dimension type. The PDP wants to bank on Al-Mustapha’s image to capture Yobe, Borno and Zamfara being controlled by ANPP.

    “The renewed political romance between President Goodluck Jonathan and ex-Governor Ahmed Yerima of Zamfara State seems to be pointing to this desperate bid by the President and his strategists to make inroads into the North-East and North-West.

    “Yerima had taken some marabouts to the President some weeks ago to “pray” for Jonathan’s good health and 2015 agenda.

    “Besides, you will recall that a few months ago, Yerima and ex-Governor Modu Ali Sheriff met with the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, in Abuja. So, the plot was conceived a few months back, but Al-Mustapha might be used to crystallize it.

    “The larger picture is to change the political tempo in the North by bringing Al-Mustapha into the PDP to reduce the influence of some out-of-presidency favoured Northern governors like Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), Aliyu Wammako ( Sokoto); Sule Lamido (Jigawa); Babangida Aliyu (Niger); and Murtala Nyako (Adamawa).”

    The source, however, said the prime targets of Al-Mustapha’s deal are Yobe and Borno states.

    Investigation by our correspondent revealed that some PDP chieftains have already made a proposal that the way to end the domination of the ANPP in Yobe and Borno states is to make Al-Mustapha the arrowhead of the party’s plot.

    Findings showed that the Minister of State for Finance, Alhaji Yerima, had allegedly met with Al-Mustapha and hosted a dinner in honour of the ex-CSO.

    Checks indicated that the PDP had initiated secret talks with Al-Mustapha on why he should team up with the party to improve the lot of his people in Yobe.

    Although it was unclear as at press time on Al-Mustapha’s disposition, it was gathered that some PDP bigwigs have already penciled down the ex-CSO for the governorship slot as its automatic candidate.

    The leakage of the plot has created a cold war between Governor Ibrahim Geidam of Yobe State and the Minister of Finance.

    It was learnt that the minister was allegedly shunned by the governor on Tuesday when he brought some presidential relief materials to Damaturu (Yobe State capital) for victims of Boko Haram.

    The cold shoulder rubbished plans by the minister and the presidential delegation to make a political gain from the relief materials.

    A highly-placed source said: “ The PDP is determined to control Borno and Yobe states. This is why Al-Mustapha’s option is on its card at present.

    “But Al-Mustapha has not made any commitment to join partisan politics or not.

    “The Governor of Yobe State is, however, not taking the plot lightly leading to a cold war between him and the Minister of State for Finance.

    “I think other Northern political leaders and governors are still studying the situation.”

  • Re: al-Mustapha -now that the ‘canary’ is free

    Re: al-Mustapha -now that the ‘canary’ is free

    Bar possibly the entertaining but tragic spectacle that has been running for a while now in Rivers State in the apparent face-off between the presidency and the state’s governorship, no story has grabbed media and public attention this month like the acquittal and discharge two Fridays ago of Major Hamza al-Mustapha, the chief security officer of the late head of state, General Sani Abacha, following his nearly 15-year prosecution for complicity in the murder on June 4, 1996 of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of Chief M.K.O. Abiola, the presumed winner of the June 1993 presidential elections.

    Certainly even more than the tragi-comedy playing out in Rivers, al-Mustapha’s acquittal and discharge has generated more emotion than any other story in recent times. The 53 odd texts and a few emails I received in reaction to my column last week on the subject captured the varied sentiments expressed about the judgment. The reader will find the sample of those reactions published below interesting and certainly, in the case of the longest one I received by email, quite thought provoking, not least because the writer gave himself the answer, perhaps inadvertently, to his charge that al-Mustapha’s prosecution was selective – far from being a mere “pawn in a complicated national chess game for which IBB and OBJ are the major players” al-Mustapha was the only CSO (or ADC) of a head of state in this country’s history that chose to make himself its “de facto head of state,” to use the author’s own words.

     

    Sir,

    It is trite to say that one can be viewed as a hero in some quarters and villain by others at the same time, because that is the nature of human behaviour. Al-Mustapha cannot be different – he is only human. The question is no longer that of culpability or otherwise of Mustapha in the heinous crime for which he was charged, since he has been exculpated by a court of competent jurisdiction, unless, of course, a superior court of law rules otherwise.

    What rankles is the barely concealed verdict of guilt that permeates the articles of virtually all those who have written on the subject. Whatever happened to the time-worn dictum of being innocent until proved otherwise?

    Agreed, Mustapha’s swashbuckling and devil-may-care persona, combined with a tendency for loquaciousness, can rub people the wrong way. But, does that make him a criminal? Like they say, the cloak does not make the monk, or put it more appropriately, a broken tooth does not make a thug!

    Let truth be told. Mustapha is a victim of circumstances. As de facto head of state during the Abacha regime, almost every top ranking official, whether in government or out of it, and top echelons of the private sector, kow-towed to him in order to get to Abacha. In our kind of economy where fortunes are made or lost purely from how close you are to the seat of power, one could easily understand the desperation with which some of the richest (I will not use respected) men groveled before this young major for favours.

    Therefore, by the time Abacha died it was payback time. They say hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Well, that is only true when you have not faced the wrath of a man forced to swallow his manhood in the pursuit of economic gains. They swarmed Mustapha, each with a dagger as sharp as a dragon’s tail and a cudgel fitted with spikes, demanding to cut their pound of flesh. They did not quite get their pound of flesh (death), but they got something close to it – a fifteen year detention in a maximum prison that will surely leave some psychological and physical scars.

    We must all engage in some serious soul searching before making judgment. This is why.

    Some high profile murders were committed during Babangida’s regime, with Dele Giwa’s murder as the most touching. In addition to this, he set us on the path to perdition by annulling an election won fair and square. And yet Babangida, his ADC, and CSO are all free men.

    Obasanjo’s case is worse. Political heavy weights were killed as if they were cockroaches, culminating in the murder of irrepressible Bola Ige. Not done with us yet, he imposed an invalid with a terminal illness on us, knowing full well the political repercussion. Then the coup de grace – he manoeuvred a starry-eyed, bare feet school teacher, into a position of power. Today, Obasanjo struts the political landscape like the conceited peacock that he is, insulting our sensibilities with what he calls ‘successful mistakes’. Neither his ADC nor his CSO were ever charged.

    OBJ and IBB are two peas in a pod, each trying to occupy a larger space in the pod, at the expense of the Nigerian state.

    If anyone should take the blame for Abiola’s murder, IBB should be liable for setting in motion events that culminated in Abiola’s death, even though he never physically murdered or caused Abiola’s murder. OBJ, on the other hand, should be held responsible for imposing political brigandage and economic profligacy, the type never seen before.

    These Siamese twins are the two gentlemen who need some investigating. Mustapha is just a pawn in a complicated national chess game for which IBB and OBJ are the major players.

    Manjadda Iman, Sokoto.

     

    Sir,

    Your article today is a radical departure from your usual harsh tone against the major. I do not begrudge your loyalty to Gen. Abdulsalami, but you should be objective enough. Maybe you never imagined the poor major would be released in your lifetime. Now you are writing like the coward and hypocrite that you really are. Now we know those who are really afraid of freedom for the major.

    Joseph Kolo, Minna. +2348035550445.

     

    Sir,

    Your write-up on al-Mustapha was good and unbiased. It is heartening to know you can engage the nation in such a serious discourse without ethnic or religious colouring. Your prediction on Mustapha throwing his hat into the ring sooner than later is equally apt. But will he have the space to operate as his billionaire traducers are still the ones dictating de pace of Nigeria and Africa?

    Sam Madugba, Owerri +2348037110950

     

    Sir,

    Your dislike and hatred for al-Mustapha is clear. Remember your mentor Abdulsalami cannot do any favour to you on the day of judgement.

    +2348026891730

     

    Sir,

    The piece on Al-Mustapha is thought-provoking. Nigeria is still a neo-colonial state and al-Mustapha represents a neo-colonial army. What, I think, should bother social scientists is the future of Nigeria under moribund capitalism which is based on self-interest.

    Amos Ejimonye, Kaduna +2348039727512

     

    Sir,

    The canary has suffered enough from your boss and from your pen. To you and your boss he is a villain but to us it is otherwise.

    +2348037657033

     

    Sir,

    I am a frequent reader of your Wednesday column. But I’ve never agreed more with you on any issue as I did on al-Mustapha’s release. Even if he was innocent, I hope through his imprisonment Allah has touched his heart and rid him of his widely believed heartlessness and ruthlessness.

    Mustapha +2348033037936

     

    Sir,

    That was a good piece – balanced, reportorial and advisory. al-Mustapha might have got justice courtesy the prosecution’s fumbling and bumbling. However some questions remain: will Kudirat ever get justice? Will the question of who killed Kudirat ever be answered like similar ones in the past; those of Dele Giwa, Uncle Bola Ige, Harry Marshall, et al?

    Muyiwa Makinwa, Ile-Ife. +2348058475238

     

    Sir,

    How about Jonathan/al-Mustapha ticket, come 2015?

    Zakaria Ismail, Kano.+2348037878033

     

    Sir,

    From the evidences made public right from the start linking al-Mustapha to Kudirat’s murder, not a few Nigerians had expected that he was going to be convicted at the end of which a presidential pardon or amnesty could be expediently considered. That way, anybody who is or will be in the position al-Mustapha was with Abacha regime and did what he was said to have done can be certain a day of reckoning must surely come. But to be so discharged and acquitted with impunity even with so many evidences that implicated him in the murder is no less an encouragement to his likes that may still be found in our government any day. This portents a very bad omen for the country.

    Emmanuel Egwu. +2348037921541

     

    Sir,

    Celebrating such a character is wrong. He should not be a worthy role model to any youth in the North.

    +2348036972332

     

    Sir,

    By al-Mustapha’s acquittal, it is not yet uhuru as God’s judgement will surely come.

    Omololu Joshua, Akwa-Ibom. +2348052134277

     

    Sir,

    Anybody who is not ethnically motivated knows who killed Kudirat. With our conscience we see him every passing second. The one that pulled trigger is different from the one that directed the act that drips of infamy.

    Chris Arukwe, Awka. +2348034704286

     

    Sir,

    Alhamdullilah, Haruna your master Abdulsalami yaji kunya’. Allah is great. Please help me tell him.

    Maina Bukar +2348036424319

     

    Sir,

    A worldly Judge may deliver a verdict the way he likes BUT, the evil that men do will forever live after them.

    Oni Olayinka, Ogba. +2348052324941

     

  • I’m yet to adapt to life outside prison, says Al-Mustapha

    I’m yet to adapt to life outside prison, says Al-Mustapha

    Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, who is still basking in the euphoria of his release from prison, says he is yet to adapt to life outside the prison.

    He was discharged and acquitted penultimate Friday over conspiracy to kill Alhaja Kudirat Abiola said in his hometown, Nguru, Yobe State, that he is yet to have a phone or read newspapers since his release.

    He was behind the bars for about 14 years.

    Major Al-Mustapha who was accompanied by the minister of state finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama, senator representing Yobe south, Alhaji Alkali Abdulkadir Jajare, son of the late Head of State, Mohammed Sani Abacha, and PDP North East chairman, Sen. Lawn Girigiri ,among others.

    He visited the Emir of Nguru, Alhaji Mustapha Ibn Kyari before worshipping at the town’s Central Mosque.

    Al-Mustapha later proceeded to Gashua and was hosted to a Ramadan fast break by the Matawalin Bade, Dr. Yerima Ngama, who said:”One thing I noticed about Hamza is that despite all these years of his incarceration, his intellect is still sharp and he remains a fine gentleman with his mental alertness intact.

    “We are very happy for his release and we believe that the wisdom that prevailed over his judgment came from God Almighty. It’s important to note that Hamza has forgiven everybody behind his ordeal. This is one virtue that he has because of his deep faith and the fear of God in him.”

    Al-Mustapha’s wife, Hafsat, said: “We have waited for so long and we just have to move on after the release of my husband. We cannot look back at all. God has His reason for everything and my family believe in Him.”