ABIOLA’S DEATH : S-West leaders dare Al-Mustapha
On August 3, 2011 · In Headlines

BY Leke Adeseri, Dayo Johnson, Ola Ajayi, Abdulwahab Abdulah, Dapo Akinrefon, Gbenga AriyibI, Gbenga Olarinoye & Charles Kumolu
LAGOS—Yoruba leaders yesterday reacted angrily to allegation by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha that South West leaders were given huge sums of money by the General Abdulsalami Abubakar’s administration to appease them following the death in government custody of the acclaimed winner of the June 12 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

Major Al-Mustapha who is on trial for the murder of late Abiola’s wife, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, told a Lagos High Court in his evidence-in-chief on Monday that he had audio and video evidence of how both General Abacha and Chief Abiola were killed and that “the sums of $200m, 75m pounds and N200m were withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria by General Abdulsalami Abubakar in order to douse tension and appease the South West leaders”.

Mustapha’s revelations however elicited outrage from Yoruba leaders who challenged him to be courageous enough to mention the names of those who collected money from the military government if he has evidence.
The South West leaders in seperate reactioins said:
Babalola

Adams, Late MKO Abiola, Adebanjo, Falae, Falomo, Babalola

Chief Reuben Fasoranti, Afenifere leader

The allegation is strange and should be substantiated. I have not heard it before and he should as a matter of urgency elaborate by exposing those involved. I want to challenge him to come forward with more facts, he should speak out more.

I want to challenge him to expose these South West leaders for the whole world to know if he is sure of what he is saying. He should not just make an allegation,  he should support it with facts so that people can take him serious. He should name them.

Retired Bishop Bolanle Gbonigi

It is a wild allegation but with the corruption in the system one may not be too 100 percent sure that what he said is not true. Al Mustapha should name the South West leaders he gave money to, where, when and the circumstances surrounding it. This allegation is too serious to be toiled with. We need the details of the said transaction between him and the Yoruba leaders so that Nigerians and the World would know what exactly transpired during that time. Also, if he comes forward with more information it would help the security operatives and the anti crime agencies in the Country.

We want to know those that are involved in this allegation.

Chief Ayo Adebanjo, NADECO chieftain

Al-Mustapha should mention their names. I am a Yoruba leader and I know what I lost during the June 12 struggle. He should be in a position to know those that collected money from the former military Head of State and that is why I want him to mention their names or else, so many of us (Yoruba leaders) will be blackmailed. He should mention their names.”

Dr Fredrick Fasehun

The statement by the former CSO, should not be taken as the truth but investigations should be carried out by security agencies. He (Al-Mustapha) was at the centre of what happened during the period Abacha was alive and there is nobody alive that can contradict his statement. We should not take his revelation as the gospel truth, I think the security agencies should investigate the matter and come up with the truth.

Otunba Gani Adams

That information is true. We were in the struggle when all these things happened. By the time Abiola died, we asked some of our prominent Yoruba leaders why they refused to make any strong condemnation over his (Abiola) death. At that time, we got very reliable information that General Abubakar indeed gave some of our leaders huge sums of money as compensation, though, I cannot recollect the actual amount they were given.

If you remember very well, there was no strong reaction when MKO died and most of those who were present at his burial were mostly the masses as prominent South west leaders were absent. Abiola was sacrificed for not only the South West, but Nigeria and it is unfortunate that such a thing could happen to Abiola.

Senator Rashidi Ladoja, former Oyo State governor

He should name them so that we would know how to deal with those who do not want any good thing to happen in Nigeria. Anybody who did not want Abiola means they do not want any good thing for the country. The presidency of Abiola could have given Nigeria many good things’.

Alhaji Yekini Adeojo

It was unfortunate that we Yorubas are the ones behind our plight. It is a pity that some people could do such a thing. Abiola was a very good man that was why Nigerians voted massively for him. Let us thank God for everything”.

Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala speaking through Prince Dotun Oyelade

Of course, Al Mustapha should go a step further to name those involved in such dastardly act. As a soldier, he should summon courage to spill all for posterity sake so that the next phase of Nigerian history could be put in proper perspective”.

Dr Dejo Raimi Secretary, Southern forum

I am still not sure if what the military man said was a rumour of fact. It is still a rumour until I see the documents because I was very close to Abacha. It sounds so strange to me. Let Mustapha show the evidence of those who collected such money. All we know was that they were looting by all means to make Abiola forget his mandate. But, I did not witness it.

We saw how NADECO was defeated woefully. Their era came and disappeared. Where is NADECO today?

Are Afe Babalola (SAN)

I have just read the statement credited to Al- Mustapha, but he, should be bold enough to mention  names of Yoruba leaders that collected the money. Though, his statement is not actionable by an individual, but in the interest of Yorubaland, Al -Mustapha should be  bold enough to mention  names of Yoruba leaders that collected money from the military leaders

Chief Olu Falae

“You know we, that is, myself and our Baba, late chief Abraham Adesanya were at the fore front of getting Abiola released from the military Gulag that time. You know that nobody could ever offer us bribe, talk less of taking it. As far as I am concerned, all money in the Central Bank of Nigeria cannot buy me, all the dollars in the US treasury cannot bribe me.

There are some of us by the special grace of God who have made it. So, what Al-Mustapha said. has nothing to do about me and with my immediate circle of leaders. One may not rule this out that some Yoruba leaders might have gone there to collect money, that may be possible. My own take now is that Al-Mustapha should please name those who took money.

This will separate the fake leaders from the real leaders. We want to know the names of those people, because giving a blanket comment on Yoruba leaders is not good. There is nothing bad in him coming out to speak now. It is not too late, if that happens to be the truth, it does not matter. The beauty of it is that the truth does not die. He should tell us the truth. This nation needs the truth, let him tell the nation who took money and what they took and let us separate the boys from the men.

Ore Falomo– Abiola’s Personal Physician

Al- mustapha has not said anything new. It’s only new to those who don’t know. I’ve said it before because we knew Abiola was no longer safe after Abacha’s death. However Mustapha has a right to say whatever because people will want to believe him because he was Abacha’s friend and he was in Aso Rock then as Deputy Head of State.

Lai Mohammed, ACN National Publicity Secretary

The party is still studying Al-Mustapha’s pronouncement. However we will want him to name names. He has spent almost 12 years behind bars so anything could have happened but let’s watch and see

Chief Ebenezer Babatope

I have not read the details of the allegation by Al-Mustapaha myself, I only read the headlines from newspapers. I learnt he was giving evidence in his defence in court when he made the allegation. Al-Mustapaha should be allowed to make further details on the allegation that Yoruba leaders were bribed by Abdusalami over Abiola’s death before I could make comprehensive reaction on it.

Most Rev, Felix Femi Ajakaye

Hamza’s tale was a general one without specific and it is unacceptable to any reasonable person.
Al-Mustapha’s allegation was spurious and capable of heating up the polity and dividing the country along ethnic lines. If he is sure of what he said, he should list the names, come with the video and audio evidence that he claimed he has, rather than keeping Nigerians in suspense.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/08/abiolas-death-s-west-leaders-dare-al-mustapha/


Koya mi le nu

Otunba Gani Adams

That information is true. We were in the struggle when all these things happened. By the time Abiola died, we asked some of our prominent Yoruba leaders why they refused to make any strong condemnation over his (Abiola) death. At that time, we got very reliable information that General Abubakar indeed gave some of our leaders huge sums of money as compensation, though, I cannot recollect the actual amount they were given.

If you remember very well, there was no strong reaction when MKO died and most of those who were present at his burial were mostly the masses as prominent South west leaders were absent. Abiola was sacrificed for not only the South West, but Nigeria and it is unfortunate that such a thing could happen to Abiola.

This guy is beginning to sound like BecomeRich. The only difference is his inability to speak Batu.

Chief Olu Falae

“You know we, that is, myself and our Baba, late chief Abraham Adesanya were at the fore front of getting Abiola released from the military Gulag that time. You know that nobody could ever offer us bribe, talk less of taking it. As far as I am concerned, all money in the Central Bank of Nigeria cannot buy me, all the dollars in the US treasury cannot bribe me.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

SOLD! SOLD!! SOLD!!! to the highest bidder, even if the devil is that highest bidder .

Some ediotas will believe this man whose brain have been incarcerated for the past 12 years.
He is a bloody liar. 99% of the Yoruba leaders who were at the forefront of the June 12 struggle can not do such thing.
He need mental surgery to correct the brain drought that he is suffering.

seanet02:

Some ediotas will believe this man whose brain have been incarcerated for the past 12 years.
He is a bloody liar. 99% of the Yoruba leaders who were at the forefront of the June 12 struggle can not do such thing.
He need mental surgery to correct the brain drought that he is suffering.

Oro po

seanet02:

Some ediotas will believe this man whose brain have been incarcerated for the past 12 years.
He is a bloody liar. 99% of the Yoruba leaders who were at the forefront of the June 12 struggle can not do such thing.
He need mental surgery to correct the brain drought that he is suffering.

Speak for yourself. Money is a great way-maker and I assure you that 90% of Nigerians are capable of doing such thing, yoruba or not. The remaining 10% are select few and Olu Falae, Ebitu Ukiwe and Tam David West are among the 10%.

aloy-emeka:

Speak for yourself. Money is a great way-maker and I assure you that 90% of Nigerians are capable of doing such thing, yoruba or not. The remaining 10% are select few and Olu Falae, Ebitu Ukiwe and Tam David West are among the 10%.

Hold it, the man don go mad.
Why cant he name them? it is a freaking lie.

some things arent always about money.

in this instance, given the circumstances, its quite possible the options might have been accept the money [if true] or die.

its not always black and white although there are some who would even do it for free, no doubt.

Listen to what Gani Adams said. He said some of our leaders. Which is the next level of leadership above Gani's status in Yorubaland?

Governors/kings/kingmakers?

What is the reaction of the traditional rulers to Mustapha's revelation about the tongues that were bought?

At least we yorubas are coming to ask that they should be named, I am very sure that a lot of Kings were bribed.

Yorubas are cursed,instead of telling the murderer to shut up AND yelling the court that justice must be done,they are daring him to point fingers at any yoruba person implicated covertly or overtly.
[size=18pt]

ONLY STUDENTS PROTESTED ABIOLAS DEATH,LAGOS WAS SILENT AND PEOPLE WENT ABOUT THEIR DAILY CHORES.WHILE DID THE YORUBAS KEEP QUIET ALL THIS WHILE.

MUSTAPHA SHOULD FACE THE HANG MAN'S NOOSE.HE MUST FACE THE GALLOWS.HE SHOULD BE HUNG BY THE NECK UNTIL DEAD[/size]

hollandis:

Yorubas are cursed,instead of telling the murderer to shut up AND yelling the court that justice must be done,they are daring him to point fingers at any yoruba person implicated covertly or overtly.
[size=18pt]

ONLY STUDENTS PROTESTED ABIOLAS DEATH,LAGOS WAS SILENT AND PEOPLE WENT ABOUT THEIR DAILY CHORES.WHILE DID THE YORUBAS KEEP QUIET ALL THIS WHILE.

MUSTAPHA SHOULD FACE THE HANG MAN'S NOOSE.HE MUST FACE THE GALLOWS.HE SHOULD BE HUNG BY THE NECK UNTIL DEAD[/size]

You sound like a CURSED IBO MAN, so they should tell somebody who leveled such a great accusation against them to go to hell?
You ibos are always sounding stewpeed day in day out.

A certain "Williams S.O" made the following remarks at pointblanknews.
Make of it what you will, folks

[b]I Call on president jonathan to provide adequate security for major mustapha,he is telling the absolute truth,not just that,i watched the video clips of the allegded General Diya"s coup,i was a student leader then in 1998,all students were invited to abuja under the auspices of youths earnestly ask for abacha,we were kept in various hotels in abuja then,a vehicle came and we were driven to aso rock that night,we stayed till 3am the next day,watching the video after which we went back to our hotel rooms,i stayed in agura hotel,the same night traditional rulers were watching the clips with General abacha presiding over them why Major mustapha presided over the students,mustapha told us to shout great nigerian students that abacha was next door with traditional rulers,they were kept at transcorp hilton hotel,about 15 students each were invited from each nigerian universities,were were about 500,we were given #50,000 each after the visits,the then NANS president Bashir Abdullahi was there,morrisson ogunrobo,late moses osiekede,
what Major mustapha is saying is theb truth,they were bribed and given cash,everything thing is saying is the truth,mustapha is an intelligient officer,the whole nigerian students recognised this that night as he presided over us,
let the govts,let the international community do something about this,the south west leaders are traitors.
Williams--yavida123@yahoo.co.uk[/b]

some are in denial "na lie"
some are reasonable "hmm its possible cos ego can make people misbehave"


Well at least we all know that there is nobody above ego in this LAND,

Seanet01 are Yoruba people above money that you are there arguing like your life depended on it, True or not true your argument shouldn't be 99% of yoruba leaders cant do such a thing cos all of them if u like it to begin with all started with illicit ego from Abiola to obj to adenuga to tinubu to even ooni sef (back in the day the military junta use to shower them with cars and the like to sharap)//

Moral of the story: Nobody is bigger than ego whether na igbo Yoruba or hausa or ijaw, or oyibo sef

Apparently, it is fallacious to claim that "Igbos like money too much and can sell their conscience for it" - now we know Yorubas like money probably more, just that they are much better at pretending not to like it that much. One thing is clear: Everyone has a price (including Olu Falae, never mind his empty braggadocio). As far as Nigeria is concerned, the lure and allure of money trancends ethnicity. I believe Al-Mustapha 100%. As breeze don blow, fowl yansh don open.

This s very easy oh!
The investigation should just start by asking the CBN to verify the withdrawal by Abdulsalam, using FOI! why is evrybdy tryng to exonorate thmselves by makng unecessary noise! That Gani may have even be one of them, bunch of idiotic leaders, ts time we do Egypt on them!

hollandis:

Yorubas are cursed,instead of telling the murderer to shut up AND yelling the court that justice must be done,they are daring him to point fingers at any yoruba person implicated covertly or overtly.
[size=18pt]

ONLY STUDENTS PROTESTED ABIOLAS DEATH,LAGOS WAS SILENT AND PEOPLE WENT ABOUT THEIR DAILY CHORES.WHILE DID THE YORUBAS KEEP QUIET ALL THIS WHILE.

MUSTAPHA SHOULD FACE THE HANG MAN'S NOOSE.HE MUST FACE THE GALLOWS.HE SHOULD BE HUNG BY THE NECK UNTIL DEAD[/size]

Lagos silent? Blood flowed freely and there were fires everywhere.

Dude, I rioted in Lagos as a student. We faced down amoured cars and many were shot dead. Helicopters flew above, making announcements and dropping teargas bombs. Still, we bloody closed down Ikorodu road, we even played soccer on it during lulls.
Todays youth are too cowardly and blighted by ethnic bigotry to see beyond ethnicity and fight for the collective rights of Nigerians, all they do is scream.
We were inspired by Gani and fired by Soyinka.

proO1:

Apparently, it is fallacious to claim that "Igbos like money too much and can sell their conscience for it" - now we know Yorubas like money probably more, just that they are much better at pretending not to like it that much. One thing is clear: Everyone has a price (including Olu Falae, never mind his empty braggadocio). As far as Nigeria is concerned, the lure and allure of money trancends ethnicity. I believe Al-Mustapha 100%. As breeze don blow, fowl yansh don open.

hit the nail in the head,

Yoruba and their holier than thou attitude sef, How many prominent Yoruba millionaire/billionaire whose money is free from controversy?

Hausa like money
Igbo like money
Now we know the biggest pretenders of them all like money too

Beaf:

Lagos silent? Blood flowed freely and there were fires everywhere.

Dude, I rioted in Lagos as a student. We faced down amoured cars and many were shot dead. Helicopters flew above, making announcements and dropping teargas bombs. Still, we bloody closed down Ikorodu road, we even played soccer on it during lulls.
Todays youth are too cowardly and blighted by ethnic bigotry to see beyond ethnicity and fight for the collective rights of Nigerians, [b]all they do is scream/b].
We were inspired by Gani and fired by Soyinka.

abeg we know the screamers who at the end no dey do ish, dont lump us together biko

not that surprise!!!

@hollandis,

Yorubas are cursed,instead of telling the murderer to shut up AND yelling the court that justice must be done,they are daring him to point fingers at any yoruba person implicated covertly or overtly.

The kind of blind solidarity, rooted in ethnic chauvinism, which informed your comments above, is precisely why we all continue to be held hostage by a tiny minority.
All major struggles throw up 5th columnists who trade information to the other side, so what is to say this one was any different?

Let's be clear on this; Al Mustapha was a pliable tool in the hands of more senior officers who were determined to maintain the status quo.
But even a broken clock tells the correct time twice a day.

really I am not surprise at this at all.  at the yoruba leaders. mustapha expose them with there hypocricy

hollandis:

Yorubas are cursed,instead of telling the murderer to shut up AND yelling the court that justice must be done,they are daring him to point fingers at any yoruba person implicated covertly or overtly.

why add tribalism to this . see hate not surprise at this as well, but let me case you mind back. the person that sold weapons to Nigeria army to kill igbos during baifra was Nzeribe who was also an igbo man. He seat down while his people we killed in the millions and he was paid. So in your attempt to paint an ethnic group as cursed i think Your ethnic group is more cursed. abi ogini gi

Silly tribe, devilish pretenders, see how Judas Iscariot Yorubas sold out Thief Thief Abiola for Fun.
Any one eating with any Yoruba please don't forget your longest Spoon, untrustworthy people, Chameleons.
Yorubas don't like money but sold their illustrious son, wonderful!, Yeye people, Make una lick my pooooo.
In the next world Abiola will never wish to return as a Yoruba. CURSED.

I can't see any comment from the Ooni of Ife here and many of our Yoruba leaders.

@ All,

Anybody that doubted Al-mustapha should get his/her brain examined. It was the bitter truth that some Yoruba Leaders collected money. If u had not forgotten, during General Diya's Saga, some prominent Yoruba Obas were called to Abuja to watch the video and they all said truthly, Diya plotted the coup. What am driving at is that Yorubas are the greatest enemies of themselves.

With money, they can do anything, useless agbalagbas (elders) they are

God is waiting to pay you in full of all your deeds!

Politician turn to murderers, Even the Muslims among them! so shameful

(Unfortunately democracy caused more massacre and disunity  than the justice it intended)

We are surely in the last time.The Holy Qur'an says'"Wal asri Ina linsano Lafi husri"

No woander there's blood everywhere

Its simple al-mustapha is playing the last card he has . he is indirectly threatening blackmail on the "bribed yoruba leaders". He's probably seeking for attention from them if not why tell a story and not mention the main actors

WilWily:

Silly tribe, devilish pretenders, see how Judas Iscariot Yorubas sold out Thief Thief Abiola for Fun.
Any one eating with any Yoruba please don't forget your longest Spoon, untrustworthy people, Chameleons.
Yorubas don't like money but sold their illustrious son, wonderful!, Yeye people, Make una lick my pooooo.
In the next world Abiola will never wish to return as a Yoruba. CURSED.

Look WilWily, since it needs to out to broken down to you: without traitors, the transatlantic slave trade might never have happened on the scale it did (that is, if at all).
The history of man is full of treachery, so what new gospel are you peddling?
If you have ever spent any amount of time studying the evolution of pro-democracy organisations (movements) around the world, you'd know your wholesale condemnation of one ethnic group, here, is completely uncalled for.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to post comments which confirm all doubts.

eGuerrilla:

Look WilWily, since it needs to out to broken down to you: without traitors, the transatlantic slave trade might never have happened on the scale it did (that is, if at all).
The history of man is full of treachery, so what new gospel are you peddling?
If you have ever spent any amount of time studying the evolution of pro-democracy organisations (movements) around the world, you'd know your wholesale condemnation is completely uncalled for.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to post comments which confirm all doubts.

please brother, don't waste your time

trust me you are wasting your time. some people just hate and hate

just enjoy your day and enjoy reading the comment and laff off it

sir t:

@ All,

Anybody that doubted Al-mustapha should get his/her brain examined. It was the bitter truth that some Yoruba Leaders collected money. If u had not forgotten, during General Diya's Saga, some prominent Yoruba Obas were called to Abuja to watch the video and they all said truthly, Diya plotted the coup. What am driving at is that Yorubas are the greatest enemies of themselves.

With money, they can do anything, useless agbalagbas (elders) they are

YOU seriously need to get your heads examined.
The real Yoruba leaders are the one who spearheaded the June 12 struggle and not any King.
You said they COLLECTED money as if you were there. Use your brain dude.