₦airaland Forum

The incident tested the country’s nascent democracy, just five years after its return to civilian rule. Nearly 30 mid-ranking officers were implicated.

Remi Oyo, presidential spokesperson at the time, said “serious breaches of security” prompted an investigation which led to arrests.

“Let me say that President Olusegun Obasanjo trusts the security agencies and officials of government,” Oyo said in a statement.

“He believes in the Nigerian people. He knows that the Nigerian people believe in democracy and will continue to work for and with democracy and what the intelligence community is doing is not anything extraordinary, it’s all in its job.”

In October of the same year, the government publicly admitted the coup, four military officers and a civilian were charged with plotting to kill Obasanjo by shooting down his helicopter with a missile.

The military officers included, Hamza Al-Mustapha, a major and the former head of personal security of Sani Abacha, late head of state; Mohammed Umar Adeka, a lieutenant colonel; Yakubu Kudambo, a navy commander; and Tijani Abdallah, a lieutenant. The civilian was Onwuchekwa Okorie.

The men faced two count charges each of treason. Al-Mustapha, Adeka, and Okorie pleaded not guilty at a federal high court in Lagos. Kudambo and Abdallah were charged in absentia.

According to the charges, Al-Mustapha gave various sums of money through Okorie to Abdallah between November 2002 and March 2004 “for the purpose of purchasing a Stinger surface-to-air missile to be used in shooting down the President’s helicopter with the President on board”.

Abdallah subsequently made several trips to Togo and Cote d’Ivoire in an effort to acquire the US-made shoulder-fired missile, the charge sheet said.

Meanwhile, Kudambo prepared the draft of a coup speech outlining a new regime to replace Obasanjo’s elected government, it added.

Al-Mustapha, Adeka, and Okorie pleaded not guilty in court, while Kudambo and Abdallah were charged in absentia.

That was the government’s first admission of the reported coup.

After overthrowing the short-lived transitional civilian government of Ernest Shonekan in November 1993, Abacha faced strong criticism from Obasanjo, who became one of his most vocal opponents.

Obasanjo was later arrested and imprisoned in 1995 over an alleged coup plot against Abacha.

Obasanjo himself was a former military ruler who voluntarily handed power to democratically elected Shehu Shagari in 1979.

It was the first time a Nigerian military leader would willingly relinquish power to a civilian government.

The military officers included, Hamza Al-Mustapha, a major and the former head of personal security of Sani Abacha, late head of state; Mohammed Umar Adeka, a lieutenant colonel; Yakubu Kudambo, a navy commander; and Tijani Abdallah, a lieutenant. The civilian was Onwuchekwa Okorie.

TimeManager:
Northerners luuuve coup, the thirst for absolute power. Aside from the rematch of 1966, which divided opinions as being " a-do-me -I-do-you" situation. I am still a bit upset towards the North for three major situations;
1. The assassination of MKO
2. The assassination of Patrick Yakowa
3. The assassination of Lt.Gen Ibrahim Attahiru, late COAS.

Prof. Yemi Osinbajo barely escaped helicopter assassination, even Buhari was poisoned which led to him being flown abroad for three months.

As President, it is advisable to surround yourself with those you can trust with your life and not pander to being politically correct. You have to always be alert as a crab 🦀

-Kiss the truth!

muyico:
is that the reason why obasanjo digged democraxy hold damn deep

Putindbutt:
They must sha represent to do the dirty work of their oga at the top as being instructed. Not to mention the ones that were also used by IBB and Abacha. They would abuse the Northerners by day but sneak in at night to work for them. God I beg.

iwaeda:
I can't remember hearing of coup plot, but our leaders need to do better. Tinubu has ruined this country, with his not well thought policies.

Mrchippychappy:
I still believe Ikeja bomb blast had something to do with a coup but the information was kept from the public

Mrchippychappy:
I still believe Ikeja bomb blast had something to do with a coup but the information was kept from the public

Putindbutt:
They must sha represent to do the dirty work of their oga at the top as being instructed. Not to mention the ones that were also used by IBB and Abacha. They would abuse the Northerners by day but sneak in at night to work for them. God I beg.

Mrchippychappy:
I still believe Ikeja bomb blast had something to do with a coup but the information was kept from the public

Arostar2023:
Yea, Tijani Abdallah, a lieutenant is an Igbo man from Abia State .

Falseprofet2:
Northerners and their lust for power

Same al Mustafa going round these days with all manners of conspiracy theories about Californium which he claims is responsible for the insurgency and terrorism in the far north, rather than hit the bulls eye and centre it on the real issue: radical Islam

Putindbutt:
They must sha represent to do the dirty work of their oga at the top as being instructed. Not to mention the ones that were also used by IBB and Abacha. They would abuse the Northerners by day but sneak in at night to work for them. God I beg.

OMBIIGA:
St that material time Major Hamza Almustspha was under arrest and incarceration of allege assination of Hajiya Kudirate Abiola. The point what is pounderig , how comes someone under maximum prison custody plot a coup?

PureFace1:
If Obasanjo was a northerner or Igbo he wouldn't have handed over power to civilian government