Abdulsalami Tricked Ige, Adesanya To Scuttle June 12 – Al-Mustapha-Daily Independent

By Tunde Opeseitan -Senior Reporter, Lagos

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, on Wednesday continued his testimony at the Lagos High Court, explaining in graphic detail, how former federal Attorney General and Justice Minister, Bola Ige, and former Afenifere leader, Abraham Adesanya, were tricked into working against the Presidential mandate given to Moshood Abiola on June 12, 1993.

Al-Mustapha, who is standing trial over alleged complicity in the murder of Abiola’s wife, Kudirat, on June 4, 1996 told Justice Mojisola Dada that former Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar deceived Ige in the name of serving as a liaison officer between Aso Rock and aggrieved South West leaders. 

Led in evidence by his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, Al-Mustapha recalled that after Abacha’s death, Oladipo Diya, who was supposed to take over as Head of State, was imprisoned for coup plotting, and then Abdulsalami took over.

He said he was still in the Villa at the time and was in the process of handing over to the new Chief Security Officer, and retrieved a memo from counter espionage photocopy machine signed by Abdulsalami and the then National Security Adviser (NSA), Abdullahi Mohammed.

Al-Mustapha said the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor was directed in the memo to withdraw funds from the treasury.

The memo, referenced NSA/A/320/5, dated July 8, 1998, was tendered and admitted as exhibit D12.

He said the publisher of Abuja Mirror and elder brother to former Inspector General of Police, Abidden Coomassie, also got the memo through a source in the CBN.

He alleged that Coomassie was poisoned while planning to publish the memo.

Al-Mustapha recounted that Abdulsalami instructed Mohammed to raise a memo requesting funds from the CBN to take care of visitors to Aso Rock, to service the Presidential aircraft fleet, and provide logistics for Nigerian soldiers in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

But, according to Al-Mustapha, part of the money – $200 million, £75 million, and N500 million – was used to appease South West leaders over Abiola’s death.

He said the instruction to raise the memo was given less than 24 hours after the death of Abiola on July 7, 1998.

He added that after the approval of the memo, the CBN Governor was instructed on the telephone to bring the money in cash to Aso Rock.

“I was there when the money was brought in brown buses. I witnessed it when the buses containing the money were being offloaded,” he narrated.

Al-Mustapha said he had discussions with Julius Berger engineers who told him that they were constructing a building with a big underground safe on Abdusalami’s farm in Minna.

“Some of the bullion vans were moved to Minna. I was shocked and surprised that national resources were being used in that manner. That was why I decided to monitor the situation of things in the Villa.”

On the activities of Yoruba leaders coordinated by Ige, he said  Ige was unknowingly tricked by Abdulsalami to work against the realisation of Abiola’s mandate and to delay him in detention to be killed.

“I was in the Presidency and was in the process of handing over to the new Chief Security Officer on one hand and with Abdulsalami on the other hand. I was briefing Abdulsalami on issues of national security.

“I also drafted a 16-point agenda with Abdulsalami. Part of the agenda was Abiola’s release from detention and short transition programme.

“Along the line, I was asked to hand over issues about Abiola to the late Bola Ige. He (Ige) was appointed as a liaison officer between the Presidency and the South West.

“Ige continued to bring South West leaders to the Presidency against our initial plan to let Abiola go home or to be given his mandate within a short time.  

“After the death of Abiola, Yoruba leaders went to Aso Rock for another visit. This particular visit was led by Abraham Adesanya. When they arrived the Villa, they were visibly angry, annoyed, mad, and refused to speak to the press men.

“But when they were leaving, their comments were totally the reversal order from the situation on the ground in the country. They were very happy while leaving!

“The reaction and comments by Adesanya on the situation in the country at that particular time clearly put the June 12 issue as secondary and they were saying that no matter what, the country must forge ahead.

“There were two cameras that captured the visit; one was for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), the other was for me. I stationed and instructed my bodyguard to capture the whole thing.

“That was one of the major reasons Abdulsalami had to seize everything I had, including documents, tapes, and even my shoes. 

“Whether Bola Ige knew that he was used to murder Abiola is another matter entirely because I wrote him an 11-page letter between June and July, 2001 titled: How you were unconsciously used in the murder of M.K.O Abiola.”

Absolving himself of complicity in Kudirat’s death, Al-Mustapha told the court that his plight was due to the fact that he knew a lot about what happened at the time.

He said in order to nail him at all costs, soldiers who served under him as members of body guards and strike force, including his personal orderly, were induced to give evidence against him at the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) set up to investigate the alleged crime. 

The case continues today.

Al-Mustapha had opened his defence on Monday by narrating how Abacha and Abiola were killed in 1998.

Abacha died on  June 8, 1998, and Abiola died in incarceration on July 7, 1998.

He said he has been incarcerated since 1998 because of the top secret in his possession, and accused Abubakar of masterminding his perpetual detention.

He  broke down in tears when he told the court that he has both audio and video evidence on how Abacha and Abiola were murdered.

He said Abdulsalami is living in fear that he would divulge information, hence the man wants him to spend the rest of his life behind bars.

His words: “In the course of this testimony, I wish to say that I will omit any issue that will affect the national security of the country as a serving officer of the Nigerian Army.

“My incarceration was as a result of a script written and acted out by (Abdulsalami) to further keep me in prison.

“First, were the events that happened after the murder of (Abacha) and (Abiola). For fear that I may divulge information that led to their death; they have to keep me in prison.”

Al-Mustapha, who told the court that he was enlisted in the Army in 1980, said he served in various units before his appointment as Abacha’s CSO.

According to him, there is documentary evidence that after the death of Abiola, Abubakar allegedly ordered that various sums of money be withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), including $200 million, £75 million, and N500 million to appease South West leaders and douse tension.

Al-Mustapha confirmed that he knew Abiola as far back as 1985, and that he (Abiola) was like a father to him.

He said after the annulment of June 12, 1993 election, he assisted Abiola on several occasions to gain access to senior military officers, including Abacha.

Dada adjourned hearing until August 3. 

The Judge had at the last hearing discharged and acquitted a former Commander of Aso Rock Unit of mobile police, Mohammed Lawal, of complicity in Kudirat’s murder.

Lawal was charged to court alongside Al-Mustapha and Abiola’s former Chief Protocol Officer, Lateef Shofolahan, over alleged complicity in the murder of Kudirat.

The trio had filed a no case submission on the grounds that there was no prima facie evidence linking them to the crime.

Dada upheld the argument that the prosecution failed to establish prima facie evidence against Lawal.

But she directed Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan to open their defence in the matter.

He ruled that at the stage the matter had reached, the court was not concerned with whether the evidence of Sergeant Banabas Jabila Msheila (Rogers) and Mohammed Abdul (Katako) was to be believed or credible.

She insisted that the case against the accused was sufficient to warrant them to give some explanation.   

Ojo had, while arguing the application, urged the court to discharge his clients, as the court is bound to dispense justice in accordance with the law and not on rumour and sentiments.

He submitted that the court has a constitutional duty to discharge and acquit the defendants since the prosecution is not able to establish a prima facie case against them – adding that the case of the prosecution must be cogent for it to compel the defendants to prove their innocence.

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After brining out so many

After brining out so many revelations what else, medicien after death? God will deal with them up to their children children for turn what God created (nigerians) into a home of poverty cos of their own selfishness.

Al Mustapha has now become a hero

So Al Mustapha has now become a hero, just as Buhari said Abacha stole no money... Meeeeeen! If this is the reaction of most Nigerians, then we deserve all those Hausa Fulani leaders that destroyed the true capacity of Nigeria just to accommodate their backward race who have refused to add any value to the nation except nepotism, OIC, legalization of corruption (IBB), barbaric killings of innocent ones for their religion and outright falsehood to clinge to power. I pity other tribes that keep falling for their antics. They have already started their march towards 2015. Maybe Al Mustapha would be released and allowed to contest for President now that he is the last action hero of Nigerians lol... I dey laugh O.

Al Mustafa may seem stupid but making sense

Al Mustafa may seem foolish to many in what he is saying,but the truth is that whether we believe him or not he is bringing out so many revelations from our so-called past leaders' life of evil and compromise.And this present dispensation of leaders are not left out from many of the attrocities that have bedeviled this great nation.Where is the reality of the content of our National anthem "Arise O compatriot,Nigeria's call obey........"?What about our National Anthem?All are in theory and not in practice.WHICH WAY NIGERIA IS HEADING TO??????

YORUBA RONU, NIGERIANS THINK

I do not know why nigerians especially YORUBAs are so keen in knowing the yoruba elders that collected money from Abdusallam. THE QUESTION I EXPECTED NIGERIANS TO BE ASKING THIS GUY IS: WHO ARE THE PEOPLE HE REFER TO "THEY" THAT WANTED THE EQUATION TO BE BALANCED. PEOPLE SHOULD BE MORE CONCERN ABOUT THAT, THEY SHOULD RATHER TELL HIM TO NAME THOSE BEHIND ABACHA & ABIOLA's DEATH. THIS MAN KNOWS WHAT HE WAS DOING , HE ONLY NAME ABDUSALLAM BUT TRYING TO SHIFT THE WHOLE BLAME NOW ON YORUBA ELDERS WHEN THE DEED HAD BEEN DONE. LET HIM MENTION THOSE MAFIA BEHIND THE KILLING. THAT IS HOUSA FOR YOU

We need to wise up

It is a big let down to read comments made by people who otherwise should have known better (reading news online) which I believe is a privilege. Alas! reverse is the case when one reads rotten,senseless comments being made by fellow citizens. It is quite a pity. SR must do something about the uncouth, offensive and unbecoming language of the commentators on this site. It is quite obvious that Al Musthapha is clutching onto the last straw depicting a man who is drowning and looking for whom to drag along with him. Unfortunately, he is mentioning revered dead men in Yorubaland who cannot defend themselves.It is also apparent that he is looking for cheap publicity and undeserved attention to curry public sympathy to himself. He is winning or so it seems due to the gulliblity and illiteracy of most Nigerians. His submissions so far are diversionary to say the least. He should be ignored.

We need to wise up

It is a big let down to read comments made by people who otherwise should have known better (reading news online) which I believe is a privilege. Alas! reverse is the case when one reads rotten,senseless comments being made by fellow citizens. It is quite a pity. SR must do something about the uncouth, offensive and unbecoming language of the commentators on this site. It is quite obvious that Al Musthapha is clutching onto the last straw depicting a man who is drowning and looking for whom to drag along with him. Unfortunately, he is mentioning revered dead men in Yorubaland who cannot defend themselves.It is also apparent that he is looking for cheap publicity and undeserved attention to curry public sympathy to himself. He is winning or so it seems due to the gulliblity and illiteracy of most Nigerians. His submissions so far are diversionary to say the least. He should be ignored.

We need to wise up

It is a big let down to read comments made by people who otherwise should have known better (reading news online) which I believe is a privilege. Alas! reverse is the case when one reads rotten,senseless comments being made by fellow citizens. It is quite a pity. SR must do something about the uncouth, offensive and unbecoming language of the commentators on this site. It is quite obvious that Al Musthapha is clutching onto the last straw depicting a man who is drowning and looking for whom to drag along with him. Unfortunately, he is mentioning revered dead men in Yorubaland who cannot defend themselves.It is also apparent that he is looking for cheap publicity and undeserved attention to curry public sympathy to himself. He is winning or so it seems due to the gulliblity and illiteracy of most Nigerians. His submissions so far are diversionary to say the least. He should be ignored.

For those trying to discredit

For those trying to discredit Mustapha's statements, what about asking Abdulsalami to return that huge sum of money to the natioanl coffers? what about asking the intelligence services to trace the source and destination of the funds? what about a judicial inquest into the deaths of Abacha and Abiola? what if this revelation presents a lead into the puzzle of Bola Ige's death? That is if the present occupant of Aso Rock has the balls to resolve these issues. For those who fail to see the link between the man's testimony and Kudirat's assasination, you need to up your thinking level to establish the link. Apart from the stated claim that the powers that be are simply holding him because of what he knows, the man is also projecting his fondness with Abiola family which makes it unlikely that he would have been involved in killing his wife or just any person that was pro June 12

Money Laundering and Drug Maladies

Many Things are wrong with Nigeria.
For instance, see this site with extensive information on money laundering and drug offences.
www.bookshelf1978.blogspot.com

Al Mustapha's revealation

Al Mustapha please ride on. You are a courageous soldier. Expose all of them who believed it is only an Igbo man that loves money. All those people who stole Nigeria dead, how many of them are from igbo race. The igbo man is simply a hard working man who is being envied from all fronts. Long live Al Mustapha. You will be discharged and acquitted. Long live Nigeria.

THINK..............last time i checked it was free to do so !!!!

A.Why are the names mentioned by Al Mustapha not around 2 defend themselves?
B.Who else still living, benefitted from the largesse?
C.Where has the VIDEO been?
D.I wonder why Abdulsalam would want to keep AL MUSTAPHA alive & in prison as he has all the dirt on him?
E.Why did AL MUSTAPHA have a change of heart after ABACHA's death & start 2 clamour for ABIOLA's release & mandate & a short transition?
F. If AL MUSTAPHA indeed does have video & audio tapes of how ABACHA & ABIOLA were murdered, did he have foreknowledge of what was gonna happen 2 them or was he in connivance?
G.If BOLA IGE & PA ADESANYA did infact receive cash gifts, why did Abacha's strike force(arguably headed by AL Mustapha) try 2 kill Adesanya? I believe character assasination would have dealt a greater blow 2 the person of PA ADESANYA than actually killing him !

GOD BLESS NIGERIA

if one could recollect the

if one could recollect the comment of the useless Ooni of Ife, after the meeting in Aso rock, he granted an interview stating I think the Government is making sense. The revelation is to show that the so called yoruba leaders are self serving. You can count the number os appointments giving to their children since the death of Late MKO. The only yoruba leader we have is the AWUJALE of Ijebu land. Oba sikiru Adetona.

Mathematics of togetherness.

My fellow Nigerian who is nothing in the mathematics of nigerian politics think the north can't survive if the country is divided should think again, to he'll with togetherness and what does the north benefit out of it mothern the training of 419,robbery ,deceit,and all sort of negative isms from the south.I wonder you calling Islam a barbaric religion, you are the one who live in a religion that doesn't teach you to respect other people's ideology and you better seek for knowledge before you open your gutterd mouth.though we all know all your liken surfers from the diarrhea of the mouth so we don't give a damn about mathematic you can even proceed in a con tom math if you like.
Goodday ,mr white man.

CONTINUATIOn

My question now is, has our history changed from fiction to facts, the answer is no. We are still leaving in a fool paradise.
When Abacha died i was opinion that his death be investigated and the real truth about his death be revealed so that it will constitute part of our history,even Lucifer has a history in heaven, but Abdusalami sold the nation a dummy that he died of heart attack and by evening his corpse was already rottening, he has since been buried according to islamic right even at 10pm that night.
When Abiola assassination was staged managed on the TV with Susan rice making the tea, i said i will never believe any pathology report even before Late Gani said so publicly.
Now the truth are emergening, the devil is singing, we have steriotype our brain that he was lying. Why can we listen,learn, investigate, get to the bottom of this and find the truth so that we can have history to teach primary school children in a century.

Afracan s had no history before the arrival of the Europeans

When the Europeans claimed that Africans had no history before their arrival on african soil, some of our historians in their silent voice tried to mute a discordant voice. African has history but some of our history were pass from mouth to mouth through generation with lots of distortion,half truth and addition from the real facts.
When i read the history of Ogun, sango.,my conclusion was that these were people that should have been jailed if all their activities were to have been carried out in modern day,yet we made them god. I watched Late Duro Oladipo performed act of Moremi as a child. When i was at university in Ife i went to the small steam, odo esimirin, where she sacrificed her only son in a show of bravery that she could have achieved the same thing without sacrifising her son.

The Big Revelation

I have heard Al Mustapha's courageous revelation. The indicted personalities that are a life should defend their selves.
While Al Mustapha's should also be courageous to tell us if he has a hand in Kudirat Abiola's death or not?

Who killed Abiola?

Have all these arguments proved that Abiola was not murdered? If the 1993 election was freest and fairest as is celebrated today,Why was the mandate not handed over to Abiola after IBB stepped aside and Abacha died? Why did some politicians support Abacha? Why was Abacha killed? I smell rotten rat here!

please how does joe igbokwe

please how does joe igbokwe keep on coming up in this kind of discussion, you are pathetic and without identity , you are also very spineless,keep quite and let the Yoruba's sought out their mess , this is Nigeria , this will help save this country, we need the truth!

A GANG OF NORTHERN BASTARDS IN UNIFORM.

Al-Mustafa,s revelations goes a long way to expose the caliber of degenerates that presided over the affairs of this country from IBB to ABACHA to ABDULSALAM ABUBAKAR,these idiots knew nothing of governance.They just ran the country like second-rate gansters,and it is quite a pity that they walk free and still pursue relevancy in the present dispensation.

As long as Nigeria keeps the culture of condoning the criminal past of her political leadership,the future will remain bleake.The Arab world has taken the bull by the horns and thier future is guaranteed to prosper,go and ask MUBARAK OF EGYPT.

THE GREAT DECEIT!!!

if Al Mustafar have short memory.let those that have short memories continue to listen to his cork&bull tales. Nigerians have not 4get so soon on how Mustafa with his killer squard terrorist innocent citizens. may he rust in prison. let IBB.BUHARI &BOKO HARAM Be WARNED

AL-MUSTAPHA, U R A GREAT SOLDIER! GOOD OF U, EXPOSE ALL OF THEM

I CANNOT UNDERSTAND Y WE NIGERIANS R SO NAIVE WHEN IT COMES TO REASONING OBJECTIVELY. THIS IS SOMEONE (AL-MUSTAPHA) WHO HAS BEEN IN DETENTION FOR OVER A DECADE PLUS, WITHOUT TRIAL, FOR WHATEVER OFFENCE THEY CLAIMED HE ALLEGEDLY COMMITTED. AND THE LIKES OF "OMONLA" SEES NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT. HE FORGETS THAT JUSTICE DELAYED IS JUSTICE DENIED. IS MUSTAPHA'S SIN WORSE THAN MOST NIGERIANS INCLUDING U, THAT HE MUST BE LEFT TO ROTH IN DETENTION? WHAT A SHAME! HE HAS STARTED REVEALING WHAT UR YORUBA LEADERS DID THEN AND U ARE VERY VERY EMBITTERED AND ANNOYED. WHY MUST U NOT HEAR IT ALL? I SUSPECT U MAY BE A BENEFICIARY OF THOSE LOOTINGS & STEALINGS. WE MUST HEAR HIM, HE SHOULD NOT BE PERSECUTED WRONGLY, EVERYTHING HE SAYS WILL BE VERIFIED, JUST GET THAT RIGHT. U R NOT MORE INTELLIGENT THAN THE COURT THAT ACCEPTED THOSE EXHIBITS AS EVIDENCES. SO, U BETTER KEEP UR MOUTH SHUT IF U DONT HV ANYTHING TO SAY.

STOP GITTERING IF YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED.

I was opportuned to have been in Nadeco and most of Mustafa's evidence is good for posterity. It was shocking for us to see and hear the statement of our colleagues when they were leaving Aso Rock.Our demand to Abdulsalam was clear, short transition, Sovereign National conference and a referendum to pass our peoples constitution. JUNE 12 was no compromise. He agreed to Papa Enahoro who was our leader. The meeting held was under the auspices of the Afenifere group with Abdulsalam and when he succeeded in bribing them, he played his game. Osoba, Papa Adesanya,a flabouyant Oba,Tinibu,Afikuyomi, Babatope, Ige,and others,there is a master list of these persons who sold a strong race when the battle was won.I urge my Nadeco Chiefs to please set the record straight. Baba Opadokun(Sec.gen. Nadeco) is still alive Admiral Ndubisi Kanu and others should reconvern plz.Some are parading themselves as leaders. SHAME!!!

Iam at pains that we are

Iam at pains that we are paying too much attention to a totally useless statement of a vicious and very dangerous man who killed so many people and brought the integrity of this country to a zero level. Iam equally at pains that this useless statement graced the front covers of our most valued Newspapers as if we do no know what happened in the days of the locusts.Nobody born of a woman in Nigeria or any other place for that matter can rubbish the towering image the late Chief Bola Ige and Chief Abraham Adesanya even in death. Al MUSTAFA has no inside now and therefore no sensible person should take him serious.He is finished in Nigeria!

some facts therein in the testimony of mustapaha=

Jesus,ah we are in for a mess and one could see the reasons of these Boko-haram members want to lord it over us till eternity.come to think of it the depth of atrocities committed by the mallams are grave enough to cause earth-quake.Abudusalami should be docked to tell the world his role in the whole sad act, the then Gov of CBN, is not death,the manager of NTA then am sure not death too,he should be docked as well.Abudusalami cannot deny the facts contained therein mustahpa's testimony. the hausas, fulani and etc have lotted the public purse more than necessary. -$200m, &75M,POUND STerling and #5oom are not token amount, some countris of the world hardly come by such huge amount. Salami should be docked and Referendum conducted for passage of self determination please, one is sick already about the dastardly act committed by the demonic morons called Islamists-Boko-haram

Which newspaper?

This is not a Sahara Reporters report therefore state which newspaper it was called from. Be professional!

A weeping Major"

Its quite disturbing an attempt by a
stubborn crook to distort history.
How on earth would the likes of Pa Adesanya
who risked everything during the struggle
For re-validation of June 12 be
accused to the contrary. Al-mustapha
needs neurological help and not fit
to be among the sane people. Why won't
he mention the beneficiaries of those
monies released? it was a well known fact
that Arisekola Alao and Adedibu were among
the stooges who benefited at the expense
of hundreds of students and human right activists
murdered in the wake of the protest. I
was an active participant in the struggle and
let no one deceive us.

AL- Must or Must not, keep your lies/fabrications to yourself

It's all bullshits. Leave the dead alone and let their souls rest in peace!

Mr I-lie Mustapha, please come clean on the truths; you can't fool us anymore as we all know you are a trained professional soldier and liar,who had apparently once in charge of security issues under your beloved and bedeviled dictator.

SORRY!!! 4 NAIJA , OUR LEADERS FAILED US.

Yes, who killed Kudirat Abiola?

But more importantly, who killed 1. ABIOLA (President in-waiting) 2. ABACHA (Incumbent Head of State) 3. BOLA IGE (Incumbent Attorney Gen./Min. of Justice) 4. HARRY MARSHAL (Leader South-south)5. FUNSHO WILLIAMS (Lagos to be Governor)6. MUSA YAR'ADUA (Former 2nd in Command)7. SARO WIWA (Ogoni Leader)??????????????

The evil is everywhere. North/South/East/West.
May GOD Save Nigeria.

They are all what we call "KILLER'S"

Yaruba Elders if I were U I will just tell the court: This one .... This one, this one ? This one, and this one / this one Impact:- "He who has been paid to do a Job, must carry it out how ever distestiful it may be."

who assassinated Bola Ige and kudirat

@Chris, the guy needs medical help-the same Mustapha who ordered Stg Rogers to assassinate Pa Adesanya? Or is it another Mustapha? Did he Mustapha not pump bullets into late Pa Adesanya? Let him tell that smelly story to the marines-he is just acting out a special script prepared for him by IBB and Buhari via boko haram-the guy stinks! A break up will do us a world of good-they will soon be needing passports to enter port-harcourt-dont worry!

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