[size=14pt]Al-Mustapha recants on bribery allegation against Yoruba leaders[/size]



On August 10, 2011 · In News
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By Abdulwahab Abdulah & Bartholomew Madukwe
LAGOS — Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, yesterday, at a Lagos High Court recanted his earlier allegation that Yoruba leaders were given money by the Abdulsalami Abubakar administration in order to douse the growing tension then in the South West following the death of Chief M.K.O. Abiola.

In his testimony under cross examination, al-Mustapha, who is on trial for alleged conspiracy in the murder of Abiola’s wife, Kudirat, on June 4,1996, admitted that the video clip played did not show where the leaders were allegedly collecting money but maintained that Gen. Abubakar requested for money from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to settle some people after the death of Abiola

The CSO denied ever saying he had in his possession a VHS tape showing where money was being shared to Yoruba elders, noting: “I only said money was brought. Somebody is deliberately playing with the prosecution.”

He also told Justice Mojisola Dada that he was not aware that the team led by the late Pa Abraham Adesanya visited Abubakar as Yoruba leaders or as representatives of NADECO.

He also told the court that he was not present at the scene where Abiola died in custody, but maintained that the circumstances of his death posed serious challenges to the former Head of State, Gen. Abubakar and the nation’s security.

To get to the root of how Kudirat was murdered, he requested the police to produce the report on the investigation of the murder of Kudirat.

The prosecution counsel said: “I put it to you that Arthur Nwakwo, a member of NADECO, who is not a Yoruba was in the video. That is to say that those visitors were not Yoruba leaders but NADECO leaders.”

In his response Mustapha said: “In my evidence, I mentioned Opadokun, Chief Ige and Adesanya that were in the video. I did not say they are Yoruba leaders. I said leaders. I don’t know any Arthur Nwakwo or any other persons in the video.”

He said though he was not there when Abiola died, but to cover up his death in detention, most of his (al-Mustapha) vital documents and evidence to show that Abiola was murdered were seized from him by the military administration of Gen Abubakar.

Al-Mustapha, who confirmed that Gen. Abacha died on June 8, 1998, added: “I was not around when he died, but I saw him around 2 a.m. with some ministers and ambassadors.

I did not give him the tea

“I was technically present when M.K.O. Abiola died but I did not give him the tea that killed him. By my position in the presidency at the time, I was present there with him by the video recordings but physically, I was not there. It was in Aguda House. I do have the recording of where Abiola died and many more.

“On July 6 , Ige was asked to bring Abiola’s family, on the 7th Abiola died and on the 8th, the people visited. We agreed that all detainees are to be set free and that was done. But MKO was kept perpetually in custody. The question then is: why? There are so much for us to absolved. ”

The CSO said Abubakar refused to appear before the Oputa Panel because of some sensitive issues raised at the panel. He maintained that Abacha was murdered but declined to make further comments because that was not the issue before the court.

Insisting that some people were compensated on how the furore after Abiola’s death was contained, he said : “There are two parts to this matter, prosecution and persecution, and you are taking the persecution part while I am giving you the prosecution part.

There are so many things I can say but I don’t have the tapes, the game is contractual in agreements and Chief Bola Ige was compensated with the post of the Attorney General of the Federation,” he noted.

He said he made this known to the late minister in his letter to him, which was forwarded through his counsel, Late Chief Clement Akpangbo.

Al-Mustapha said he became enemy to some highly placed individuals in the country because they wanted Abacha removed as Head of State and Commander in Chief.

Major Al- Mustapha told the court that he wished the court can summon the former Inspector General of the Nigeria Police Force, Mike Okiro, and a tape from Radio France that was allegedly played yesterday morning where the Commissioner of Police called Nuhu Ribadu his boy.

“This is the first time in thirteen years that I am answering for myself, all the while I am always debriefed of what to say,” he said, adding that his “primary duty was to protect the Head of State, his family and this country.”

According to him, he was in Abuja and Rabo Lawal was in Lagos when Kudirat Abiola was killed.

While explaining that he was kept incommunicado for one year facing torture, he maintained that his team of lawyers were denied access to him.

“I did not order anybody to kill Kudirat Abiola. There is no doubt that there were oppositions to the government of General Abacha at the time just as it happens in other governments. The strongest opposition then was within the military and not NADECO. I can also confirm to you that the struggle by NADECO at the time was not genuine,” he added.

Al-Mustapha also informed the court that he on several occasions assisted the Late Kudirat to see late MKO who was being detained at the time.

He also said, “I did not order the arrest of any political figure in the country during the administration of Abacha but I sent Rabo Lawal to confirm the act of burning Abacha’s properties in Lagos and not to checkmate the activities of NADECO in the state. In fact, it was the Garrison Command in Lagos led by retired General Patrick Azazi that was directed to take over protection of the said property.”

On who made the order for the arrest of MKO Abiola, he said that it was the then Inspector General of Police (IG), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie that ordered his arrest, with an explanation that he even signed the warrant of arrest.

He added that, “The NADECO was a visible opposition of the Abacha’s government. I don’t belong to the council that takes decision in the presidency at the time but I was responsible for the protection of facilities to be used for whatever meeting in the presidency.”

Al-Mustapha who confirmed that all attempted murders and murders took place under the regime of Abacha urged the court to order General Abubakar to return all documents carted away from his house while he was in detention.

Meanwhile, the court granted him leave to appeal its earlier ruling on his no case submission which was dismissed by the trial court.
According to the judge, “In view of the fact that the defendants have right to appeal, this court would have no choice than to rule in favour of the applicants. Accordingly, the two applications seeking leave to appeal ruling are hereby granted.”

The court however adjourned till today to resolve the argument on whether to allow Al- Mustapha to be cross-examined by the prosecution on a statement allegedly made under duress at the SIP by him.


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