[Naijanet] A DEADLY AND DIRTY WAR AGAINST ABUBAKAR
jojo
Determined to get his pound of flesh, AI-Mustapha throws more dirt at General
Abubakar with a promise of more to come
This should have been the best of seasons for General Abdulsalami Abubakar.
former head of state. For one, he is numbered among the tiny tribe of African
military leaders who voluntarily relinquished power to the people. His status
as a statesman was further enhanced when he was named one of the special
envoys of the United Nations. And just a few weeks back. the man who ruled
Nigeria for 11 months was conferred with the country's highest honour, the
Grand Commander of the Federal Republic (GCFR). what more can a man ask for?
But last week, the world of Abubakar literally came crashing down, and it is
not certain whether the retired general would ever recover from the mortal
blows inflicted on him by Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, the chief security officer
to late Sani Abacha.
Interestingly. it was Al-Mustapha who was in the dock at the Justice
Chukwudifu Oputa-led Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission to
answer questions over his alleged complicity in the high-handedness that was
the hallmark of the Abacha Junta. But by a combination of deft legal
manoeuvring and a carefully executed plot. Al-Mustapha succeeded in putting
Abubakar on the spot. At the end of proceedings, the impression was given that
Abubakar is not just a man with a shady past but a Janus-faced, bloodthirsty
general. who thrived on backstabbing. Given the weight of Al-Mustapha's
allegation. Abubakar may now be involved in what is perhaps the greatest
battle of his life: salvaging what is left of his credibility which the CSO
impugned to no end. That Abubakar is one of the generals referred to as the
powers that be in AlMustapha's earlier testimony may no longer be in doubt.
For in his new revelation. the CSO said Abubakar, as the chief of defence
staff and the convening authority of the Speciai Investigation Panel, SIP, in
the 1995 phantom coup, insisted on the death penalty for Generals Olusegun
Obasanjo and Shehu Musa Yar'Adua. According to Al-Mustapha, when the PRC came
to sit on the coup problem, the same Abubakar said that both President
Obasanjo and Yar'Adua should be killed for masterminding the coup. And
Since Abubakar challenged him to produce evidence, when he alleged that some
generals decreed the death of M.K.O. Abiola, who was elected president June 12
1993. Al-Mustapha came to the Oputa panel with two video cassette recording
the Provisional Ruling Council. PRC, meeting where Abubakar allegedly made a
case for the blood verdict. And if Nigerians were surprised by the testimony.
Obasanjo should not be stunned,, for Al-Mustapha had surreptitiously passed
the tape to the President through Brigadier-General Ibrahim Sabo. the former
director. Directorate of Military Intelligence. DM1. The purpose of sending
the video cassette to Obasanjo was two-fold. According to AlMustapha. "I
asked President Obasanjo to watch the video and see the kind of power play
that was in the military. This was to re-affirm my earlier pronouncement of
commitment to professionalism as an army officer." Sabo confirmed in a recent
interview with Nigerian Tribune that he sent the video to the President
through Kenny Martins. a brother-in-law to Obasanjo.
But Al-Mustapha wanted to achieve much more by sending the video to Obasanjo.
He wanted to show the President that despite the fact that Abubakar handed
over power to him. he should be wary of the general from Minna. He also wanted
to prove that Abubakar was playing a double game. Al-Mustapha knew through his
network of security operatives that Abubakar visited Obasanjo in Jos prison in
1995. Just after the commutal of their sentence to terms of imprisonment.
Abubakar visited Obasanjo where the two men were said to have had some
discussion. He knew also that Abubakar would have exonerated himself from the
plight of the Ota farmer. And the visit took place Just few weeks after he had
allegedly argued for the death sentence against Obasanjo and Yar'Adua.
Again. Al-Mustapha wanted to show that Abacha was not acting alone, and that
some of the dictator's heinous policies and hardline postures were actually
canvassed by other generals who served in his administration. Some did so to
get perks from him while others did in order to save their skin. Al-Mustapha
himself provided a clue as to why Abubakar allegedly canvassed for the death
penalty. He claimed that Abubakar, directly or indirectly, had a foreknowledge
of the 1995 coup and also tampered with some of the records of proceedings of
the SIP. So he might have wanted to distance himself from the coup by asking
for the death penalty
Al-Mustapha was not done yet with his former commander-in-chief In what was
generally regarded as a carefully scripted exchange. the former CSO went for
Abubakar's jugular. when his lawyer asked him whether it was true that he
wanted to kill the general in 1998. He answered thus: "There was a problem in
the military when General Abubakar became head of state. Then we were being
accused of allowing an ex-convict to become head of state. They said that I
said General Abubakar was once jailed for two years for embezzlement of funds
meant for officers. This was to discredit me before General Abubakar. I never
said anything like that: they were the ones saying it." However, it was
through Al-Mustapha's revelation last week that most Nigerians first got to
know about the incident.
Curiously. General lshaya Bamalyl, former Chief of army staff, queued behind
Al-Mustapha. From the spontaneity of his answer and the leading question asked
by his own lawyer, it would appear that Bamaiyi was part of Al-Mustapha's last
week coup against Abubakar. when asked by his lawyer whether he was aware that
Abubakar was jailed for an impropriety in 1971, Bamaiyi retorted: 'Yes. I was
in the 26th Infantry Brigade, Lokoja, the same division with Abubakar. I was
aware that he was reprimanded." So the two men established that the man, who
succeeded Abacha in 1998, is an ex-convict who should not have been selected
to lead the nation. And since Bamaiyi admitted that he was in the same
division with Abubakar in 1971 and since Al-Mustapha had not even joined the
army then, the source of the ammunition which the CSO used to devastating
effect last week is too glaring.
But why would Bamaivi combine with the CSO to ridicule his co-member of the
PRC and former commander-in-chief? Al-Mustapha himself unwittingly provided
the answer: "The power play in the military. In the hours leading to the
selection of Abacha's successor, the generals were engaged in a macabre game
of power. Indeed, there were the dirty angles too." TELL can confirm that the
insinuation about some skeleton in Abubakar's cupboard started then. A number
of generals. after Abubakar's succession, also faulted the commander-in-chiefs
foolproof race to May29, 1999 Bamaiyi is said to be one of the generals who
canvassed for a gradual return to democracy. And since his travails began over
his alleged complicity in the spate of crimes that took place under the Abacha
era, Bamaiyi had never for once stopped lamenting the decision of the PRC to
allow Obasanjo to stand as a candidate in the presidential election. At one of
the PRC meetings. Bamalyl had wanted to convince his fellow generals that
Obasanjo was not the same meek military officer who ruled between 1976 and
1979, and that he was likely to seek his pound of flesh over his imprisonment,
he failed to convince them to stop Obasanjo. Perhaps, he now holds Abubakar
responsible for the emergence of Obasanjo, and his own travails. He was
arrested October 12, last year, just a little over four months after he and
other service chiefs had lined up with General Abubakar at the Eagle Square,
Abuja to hand over power to Obasanjo. And he is now facing trial for his
alleged complicity in the criminal activities of the Strike Force, including
the attempted assassination of Alex Ibru. publisher of The Guardian and former
internal affairs minister in the Abacha Junta.
For Al-Mustapha. his grudges against Abubakar and why he wanted him reduced to
a mere mortal are very clear. AlMustapha believes that but for him, Abubakar
would not have become the head of state. Two weeks ago, Al-Mustapha accused
Abubakar and Diya of being involved in an alleged 1994 coup. He also said many
Nigerians, including some generals and traditional rulers, wanted him to
succeed his late boss. He said because of his professionalism, he declined
and, instead. summoned the generals to a meeting in Aso Rock. It was at that
meeting that Abubakar was proclaimed the country's head of state. In the
calculation of Al-Mustapha, Abubakar should have been eternally grateful to
him, because he relinquished the reins of government so that the normal
process of picking a successor to the office of the head of state will be
strictly followed." But to the disappointment of the CSO, be was arrested some
two months after Abubakar became the head of state.
Al-Mustapha was not the only one that the military high command under Abubakar
arrested. Sabo, the DMI boss, Colonel Frank Omenka, head of the DMI security
group. and Colonel Kolawole John Olu, another DMI top gun, and a number of
other officers were also arrested. They were accused of causing disaffection
in the military through the circulation of some documents that discredited the
integrity of Abubakar and members of the PRC. A special investigation panel
was constituted to find out whether the arrested men had a case to answer The
SIP cleared all the men. Al-Mustapha himself told the Oputa panel that "I
faced the SIP. which cleared me."
However, while Sabo, Omenka, Olu and the other soldiers were allowed to go,
AlMustapha was not released. The former CSO, who told the Oputa panel that he
was "brutalised and chained to the floor at Enugu where I was accused of
plotting to overthrow the government of General Abdulsalami Abubakar". seems
to hold Abubakar personally responsible for the fact that he was not released
like the others. Since under the Abacha terrorist regime, the dictator
virtually held the power of life and death, Al-Mustapha expected that Abubakar
would facilitate his release from detention. But as days turned to weeks,
weeks to months and now years, he now saw Abubakar as his number one enemy who
should be dealt with. The Oputa panel was too good an opportunity to miss And
Al-Mustapha simply seized it to rattle his former boss.
Indeed, Al-Mustapha, who has become a loose cannon of sorts, is involved in a
no-holds-barred war against Abubakar, and he deploys any piece of information
to have damaging effect. He even indirectly accused Abubakar of being part of
the problems of the Nigerian Army by promoting mediocrity and nepotism. On the
few occasions that he answered questions on what actually brought him to the
commission last week, Al-Mustapha still found a way to indict Abubakar.
Al-Mustapha had been summoned to appear before the commission based on the
petition brought by Lieutenant l. S. Umar, who once commanded the dreaded
Strike Force. Umar had accused Al-Mustapha of "roping" him into the 1997 coup
plot that led to his retirement from the army, violation of his fundamental
rights and commission of heinous crime against the fatherland.
Al-Mustapha simply described Umar as an incompetent soldier who needed the
support of a superior officer to get on. He said: "There was serious friction
among his (Umar's) coursemates, which he caused. He was to be withdrawn on
account of this and his assessment by the foreign instructors, but I allowed
him to continue. His relationship with the then chief of defence staff also
made me to allow him continue with the course. Abubakar was his godfather in
the army." Translation: Abubakar encouraged mediocrity. AlMustapha further
insinuated that the former head of state might have influenced Umar to write
the petition against him that brought him to the Oputa panel.
Even as pressures continue to mount on Abubakar to join issues with
AlMustapha. as at press time. the former head of state was still maintaining
a dignified silence. TELL. however, learnt that Abubakar told his close aides,
who sounded him out on the issue, to be calm. He sees Al-Mustapha's antics as
an orchestrated campaign of calumny by some individuals. He said he would not
answer until the other camp had exhausted its arsenal. A source, who was privy
to the discussion, said Abubakar did not want a situation where he would
continue to respond piecemeal to "their cheap blackmail." He said Alhaji. as
Abubakar is fondly called by those close to him, would respond at the
appropriate time. Abubakar was also said to have expressed scepticism about
the genuineness of the video cassettes. He was said to have asked his aides
not to put anything beyond AlMustapha and his cronies, who could have
doctored the video to achieve their sinister motive. TELL learnt that the
original target of the video cassette was General Bamaiyi, whom Al-Mustapha
and Sabo held incomplete contempt. Even Sabo himself said as much when he told
Nigerian Tribune that you are aware of our travails in the hands of General
Bamaiyi when he cooked up stories against us, got us arrested just because we
wanted the whole world to know his atrocities." Sabo also said Al-Mustapha
gave him the cassette to pass to the President so that Obasanjo would be aware
of the machinations of Bamaiyi. Added Sabo: "Bamalyl was calling for the heads
of everybody in the coup to be shot." However, the tide changed after Bamaiyi
and AlMustapha found a common enemy in Abubakar while in prison custody
Help also came from an unusual source for Abubakar. A group of formidable
pro-democracy lawyers decided to defend Abubakar. The lawyers reckoned that
by defending the general from Minna. they are fighting for democracy. They
believe that while they cannot describe Abubakar as a saint. he should not be
allowed to be humiliated after keeping his promise to hand over power to a
democratically elected government.
Though Al-Mustapha may not succeed in completely obliterating Abubakar's
position in the country's political history, he has succeeded in putting the
Nigerian military on trial, especially an army that allowed a major to be so
powerful that generals were falling over themselves to do his biddings.
According to Umar. at height of his reign. "the fear of Major Al-Mustapha is
the beginning of wisdom. He was powerful. arrogant. brutal and ruthlessly
ambitious. Major Al-Mustapha had no regard for anybody then, not even General
Diya, the official number two man. At the peak of Abacha's government, he was
virtually the number two man." General Oladipo Diya. the former chief of
general staff, raised the stakes when he appeared before the panel last week.
He said AlMustapha was the virtual number one man in the country. He added
that even Abacha was a victim of AlMustapha's lust for power, while this was
going on and Al-Mustapha was lording it over his seniors, none of the generals
could call him to order. Some of them carried on either to save their neck or
to get promotion to top military commands and appointments to choice political
offices. Curiously, some of the general. who should have resigned in protest
were even so glad to plan phantom coup and set up their fellow generals at the
behest of the major. According to General Salihu Ibrahim. a former chief of
army staff, it was "an army of anything goes." left to the generals. the Oputa
panel would not have seen the light of day. Already, some of them are
complaining about the standing revelations being made and are even
uncomfortable with the prospect of appearing before it. But for the dramatic
appearance of Obasanjo before the panel in Abuja. none of the generals who
were summoned would have put up an appearance. when Obasanjo personally
attended a sitting of the commission, a former head of state was said to have
complained that the President wanted to force them to do the same. Already,
Abubakar Tsav, the former Lagos State commissioner of police, who indicted the
Abacha regime and former Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Coomassie of
complicity in the spate of bombings that rocked the country between 1995 and
1998. has incurred the wrath of some powerful individuals in the North
But they need not fear Tsav, since it appears that Al-Mustapha is not finished
with them yet. when his lawyer asked him to react to Umar's allegation that he
was responsible for the killings of Kudirat Abiola, Pa Alfred Rewane and many
others. Al-Mustapha calmly retorted: "We have two, of these cases in court and
how killings were masterminded will soon be known." Will the former CSO reveal
those who masterminded the many killings of the Abacha era? This is a
possibility, given the bombshells he has thrown so far.
But despite his effort to pin some of the crimes on others and divert
attention from the allegations against him. Al-Mustapha is still in a quagmire
and would still have to answer so many questions. For instance. Umar confirmed
at the panel that AlMustapha used "CSP Rabo Lawal. Sergeants Barnabas Jabilla
(Rogers). Usman Bawa, lawal Argungu and Captain Bature" to do the dirty job of
assassinating innocent, prominent citizens. He further alleged that the
attempted murder of Abraham Adesanya (leader of Afenifere and NADECO), Alex
Ibru, the destruction of the properties of General Alani Akinrinade and
Commodore Dan Suleiman. the burning of Rutam House, headquarters of The
Guardian and the spate of bomb blasts in the country were the handiwork of
AlMustapha. Already. one of the jobbers, Rogers. has admitted, both before
the SIP and in court, that they carried out the nefarious activities on the
instruction of AlMustapha.
And, perhaps, aware of the comprehensive damage the iestimony of
Al-Mustapha is already causing in the polity; Umar wants the evidence so far
given by-the former CSO not to be believed. He told Al-Mustapha: "I put it to
you that the totality of the evidence you have been giving before this
commission are lies" That certainly will be cold comfort for Abubakar.
STEPP OFFI, YEMI OLOWOLABI
and ADEMOLA AKINLABI
INTERVIEW: I AM AFRAID OF MUSTAPHA
SIP: You said the boys came to you. For what? Tell us what
you know about Abraham Adesanya?
Ado: They said they wanted me to help them. This issue of Abraham
Adesanya, Rogers shot at Abraham Adesanya. You see. in that respect,
it is only Aminu that I am not sure if he was part of that group that
shot at Adesanya. That is if one of them can confess. Then, we can
now know the truth.
SIP: When they told you that Rogers shot at Adesanya, what
did you do?
Ado: When he told me he shot at Adesanya, then I asked, how
about the issue of Kudirat?" So the issue of Kudirat, it is only
Rogers who can explain...
SIP: (Cuts in) What did he say? Was it Rogers who shot her too?
Ado: No. the boys were together with Rogers. You see, that's why I
said it is only the confusion that he told me I would not like to say it.
SIP: Come on! Say what you I know. Are you saying that when all
these things were happening, despite your observations, you did not
discuss with your boss in Abuja and he had never discussed with you?
Ado: You see, he had never discussed with me. At that stage, wallahi
None of them took me into confidence.
SIP: What of later?
Ado: later, it was like, what I am saying was... if they had told me before,
I
can't remember again. My memory is too bad.
SIP: What did they tell you?
Ado: He told me about Abraham Adesanya... and I know Rogers can tell
you more about Kudirat. When Rogers called Al-Mustapha in my office, he
said, Mission accomplished.
SIP: How did it happen?
Ado: That was because when they were arrested at Dodan Barracks at
ADC Camp, I went to see them In the place.
SIP: Who arrested them?
Ado: Operation Sweep. They were brought to LieutenantColonel Okigbo.
sir, and they spoke with Major Al-Mustapha and all the boys were released.
SIP: What mission? We are talking about the arrest you spoke about
earlier and the killing of Kudirat. What is their relationship?
Ado: At that time. they were still around. They were still around.
Alhaji Lateef had just been introduced to me. Major Al-Mustapha
asked lawal to bring him so that l look at him. When I knew that the
instruction was from Al-Mustapha, that anytime they give us
information about NADECO activities, I should bring it to him.
if it's something I should fax. I will. And when he called me and
asked me to get the address of Adesanya, I didn't. Lateef got the address
but the boys and I went on reconnaissance. The boys that did the
operation went with Rogers. That is why I say, since I know who told
me. Rogers shot at Adesanya. so I think Aminu should be able to know
who between him and Rogers shot at Kudirat. That is the group that
went and they can confess to you. And if I went with them. I'm telling
you, I have never gone out with them. It's Alhaji Lateef that took them
and showed them the place on instruction. Because these boys know
Alhaji Lateef. they can walk into his house. They can meet him.
SIP: Al-Mustapha told you to find out Adesanya's office address?
Ado: Yes.
SIP: And that you told Lateef and he was the one that brought it?
What did you do with it after he brought it? You got them the address?
Ado: When he brought it, the group came - that is, Aminu and Rogers.
SIP: Answer the question! Did you give them the address?
Ado: I gave them the address but actually I Ca:, ~'t remember which
group But I know it is Rogers and Co. Oh, this my memory thing has come again.
SIP: Whom did you give the address to? Who among them? I think you
should remember. You agreed that Mustapha told you to find out
Adesanys's address.
Ado: Yes.
SIP: And that you asked Lateef too...
Ado: (Cuts in) and Lateef brought the address
SIP: And you, in turn, handed it over to one of the groups. Either lawal's
group or Rogers' group.
Ado: Yes.
SIP: Now, the statements you made, you said there were occasions you
had to give them saloon cars, one 505 and the 504?
Ado: We don't have 505. You see, this issue of cars, at times when they
come, Al-Mustapha would ask them to go and see the chief of army staif. That's
why
I said it is only the boys that can help get a lot of this information you are
looking for.
SIP: You remember giving them vehicles for assignments?
Ado: I did not give them vehicles.
SIP: What type of vehicles do you have?
Ado: You know we have some Peugeot cars We have Station wagon, ambulance;
it is station wagon. These are some of the vehicles in Dodan Barracks. Anyone
available at that time, I do give them. And they had some sources where they
get vehicles. The only one I can remember vividly in this issue is the CVU.
This is because I know CVU, they brought some vehicles.
SIP: (To Rogers) You said that you know him?
Rogers: I know him.
SIP: Who is he?
Rogers:Major Ado. C.O. Dodan Barracks.
SIP: So how did you know him, under what circumstances? Tell us
everything that linked you and him.
Rogers: Major Al-Mustapha used to send us to him in Lagos, And he
is somebody that we trusted, though Al-Mustapha does not trust him.
He was always telling us that whenever we are going for assignments in
Lagos. we should not tell him, because he is behaving like a mallam So when
we come to Lagos on assignment like that. ~e just tell him that we are
on assignment. Then we will go out on the assignment. So when we
came back from assignment, maybe people will like to know what is
happening. So like he knows about RUTAM. When we came for the burning
down of RUTAM, he gave us car. Initially. we did rot tell him. So when
we came back from the assignment. I went and told him that we are the
ones that did it, he should not tell anybody. Then for Kudirat. when we
came back from the assignment. there was an officer then. But he later
excused us. so I went in to tell him that this is what we have done....
And Abraham Adesanya's own. Not that Al-Mustapha used to tell him.
but we, because of the trouble he had with him; we used to confide in
him. So that if anythg should happen to us, he can help us...
Ado: (Cuts in): You see, I want to tell you that I don't know all these
things
SIP: No, no, no, no, He has told you that Mustapha didn't even want you
to know because he told him you were behaving like a Mallam. Did you get
that very clear? They told you by their own Initiative, they knew that If
anything should happen in Lagos. It is you they will fall hack on as It is
your protection they will need, your Immediate protection. So he is saying
he was confiding in you saying, "Sir, though we were told not to Inform you
but this is our mission here and this is why we have come to you." And
after they ~ done it, they would come to you and even use your office
telephone to see AlMustapha that they had carried out what he sent
them Forget about AlMustapha sending them to you or talking directly
to you, because this is between them and you That is why we want you
to now say. "yes," they were confiding in you.
Rogers: You see, I know what Major Ado is afraid of, I will not hide it from
you. Major Ado knows that Major Al-Mustapha is a very dangerous person,
Major Ado is afraid of his relatives. his relations, his parents or anybody
that
Al-Mustapha knows. I know
SIP:(to Ado) You said so too. you said you are only afraid for your famiily.
What would happen to your family? But this thing he is saying that he
was telling you, was it not true?
Ado: It was, only it is this my memory that is affecting me.
SIP: Because we can imagine him coming to you. You were providing logistics.
accommodation and what not. And they were going lor such special assignment,
like that, we won't be surprised that he decided to confide in you that. "this
is
why we are here." You see, we are assuring you of your safety. We are assuring
you, you don't have anything to fear. You see, he is telling us the truth and,
you hear, why do you need to hide anything?
Ado: Their assignment is not my responsibility. The truth is. like we agreed,
this
evidence, I am afraid.
SIP: Don't worry, don't worry.
Ado: You see, I would make a statement like the story I was saying, I was
trying to tell you. You know it's very long. I don't want to say it. I would
not need to say the genesis of this. If like two, three of them give their
own, they all know some, then I know some.
SIP: That is all we want from you, why are you wasting
Ado: (To Rogers) You see, walLahi you know, there was a time I met you
there.
Rogers: Yes sir.
Ado: Then later, I called you, I asked you that is it not one of you that is
doing this killing? But personally, I know that you might know some of them.
Rogers: Yes
Ado: What I am saying is that any assignment you want to go. you come and
confide in me. Okay, I know of Alex Ibru, I know of Adesanya but you came with
Lateef on your own. You met Lateef on your own.
Rogers: Yes, we met Lateef on our own. Before we came, we've been going to
lateefs house with O.C. MOPOL.
SIP: was he (Ado) the one that gave you Adesanya's address? Has he followed
you on assignment?
Rogers: No, no, no, no, he has never followed us on any assignment. Except
we come and confide in him and it is only me or Katako who will ilrst go, we
see, and we will come and confide in him, because in case something happens,
we don't know We too, we like our job, we want to protect our job. We don't
know what this man was sending us for: is it legal. or illegal? He will only
say go and do this and we will go.
SIP: Now, how about the issue of vehicles? What type of vehicles was he
giving you?
Rogers: He gave us Peugeot saloon, 504 saloon, then the station wagon that
had an accident and his own saloon. which we used in trailing Kudirat's
vehicle...
SIP: (Cuts in) His own saloon, official car?
Rogers: Yes.
SIP: How did you come about it? Was it from him or those under him?
Rogers: He gave us.
SIP: He gave you?
Rogers: Yes. But he didn't know what assignment we wanted to do
with it. He gave us. It stayed with us for about five days. (To Ado) you were
even complaining that you didn't have a car and you started using your own
Carina.
SIP: How about the 505, did he also give It to you?
Rogers: Okay, the 505, he didn't give us the 505
Ado: You see, I had problem of my own, I told, you I have bad memory.
SIP: (Cuts in) You were making a point You said there were two groups, one
dealt with the chief of army staff and the other one was this Rogers' group
Ado: (Cuts in) You see... because what I want them to know is that it is not
something Bamalyl alone can do, Rogers, you know I cannot go. Rogers, if I
know I would tell you, but you are the one who was meeting the chief of army
staff.
Rogers: You are only mincing words. You know the terrorist Issue. That time
the colonel (Yakubu) came and you met us around the Bar Beach when we were
doing some rehearsals with the boys. That was the first time. Then the second
time, we went to General Bamaiyi's house with Liuetenant-Colonel Bala Ali
Then Bala Ali now told us that we should go to General Sabo's house in the
night. We went there in the night. Then General Sabo now told
lieutenant-Colonel Bala Ali that we should go to the CDI Idi Musa's house in
the morning. Then we went there in the morning. then Idi Musa announced that
we should go to his office in Bonny Camp to collect our estacode. Only one of
the DM1 of the chief of army staff, Abubaliar, he was the only one that
suspected the boys.
SIP: What assignment was that?
Rogers: They said Bolaji Akinyemi and Alani Akinrinade, they were coming to
Cotonou. So we should go there and look for them at the border. On reaching
the border, the lieutenant-Colonel, Bala Ali, now told us to come down from
the vehicle and walk through while he brought in the arms.
SIP: So what exactly was your assignment? What was your mission?
Rogers: Our mission was to assassinate Bolaji Akinyemi and Alani Akinrinade.
SIP: And who gave you the assignment? Did you discuss with AlMustapha?
Rogers: Yes, I phoned Al-Mustapha. I told him that this is what happened. This
is the assignment given to us by the chief of army staff...
Ado: (Cuts in) You see, Al-Mustapha is very dangerous. He will say when they
come, they should see me, he will never tell them the true story. They don't
know the assignment they are doing. Even myseif he had never confided in me.
SIP: But why did they accept to do It?
Ado: I don't know sir.
SIP: So, these weapons, was it Bala Ali that brought them?
Rogers: Yes sir.
SIP: To meet you?
Rogers: Yes sir
SIP: With them?
Rogers: Yes sir.
SIP: Who briefed you?
Rogers: It was Bala All that came to brief us at the guesthouse. He said,
~ere is an assignment in Cotonou but let's go and see the chief of army staff
first. So we now went to the chief of army staif aral we told him that this is
what Lieutenant-Colonel Bala Ali said. He laid, "Yes" we should do anything
they told us to do we should follow them. From there we proceded to DMI's
house, On- reaching DMI's house, DM1 now spoke to two of us, he said, Bolaji
Akinyemi and Alani Akinrinade.,.. Assassinate them. From there, he now said
that we should go and meet the CDI, The next tiling in the morning, we
proceeded to Bonny Camp. Then Bala All went inside and collected some dollars,
He gave us about $150 to $200. So when we reached Cotonou, we went to the
Nigerian Embassy and because there were some people outside, he said we should
exercise patience... He dropped, Aminu Mohammed and I also dropped. And the
three of us went inside. From there, the following day. he said he was going
to check them (Akinyemi and Akinrinade) there. He went and checked. He came
later to say they had already gone. So that is how we came back.
SIP: When you got to Abuja. what did Major Mustapha say?
Rogers: That time- he sent us on the terrorist assignment. That was what we
went for. Myself. Aliu, James and Katako. He told us that we should get ready,
we are going back. I said why?" He said something had happened to the two
Samailas in Abuja. He said one is dead and one is left in the hands of God.
Now we said we've already seen it on the television and that we can recognise
the car and that is Samaila's car.
Ado: They saw the thing on my television
Rogers: We mentioned them. he was arguing here that he does not know about
the bag. It is bomb detector while this thing is bomb. really. it is bomb How
can a bomb detector not detect a bomb in the bag?
SIP: Tell us about the course In Libya
Rogers: We were the ones. Four of us were to go. Mustapha now wanted to find
a way to kill Aminu, because Aminu was going to reveal some of the secrets. He
told us that. I mean Aminu, was telling us: he said. "All these things that we
are doing. I don't trust him, because maybe he is not taking instruction from
oga he is just sending us like that" that's what Aminu said. Now. I'm not
happy that Aminu cannot say out everything, he is just playing like this Now
as Aminu was telling us. the two Samailas now withdrew, and went and told
Mustapha that this is what we are saying about him. So now, instead of sending
all of us to Libya for the course. the exclusive course. he now sent only the
two Samailas. He started calling Aminu. mallam. he would call me pastor.
Ado: That's why lam very sorry. It's because, maybe. I have bad memory. You
see. if I remember something. if I tell you... this issue of money.
Rogers: (cuts in) That money issue is their own problem. Because Mustapha
even believed I am doing better than him in physical security. I know. If he
knows that you are coming up. he will suppress you by all means. These
assignments that we are doing. he's not giving us money because I believe that
is his own avenue for him to push us away, so that he would not be seeing us.
He knows I was even with, I forgot to say all these things that day. Because
if he sees somebody that knows something better than him, he will hate him. He
doesn't like opposition, once you start trying to oppose or correct him, he
would try to do away with you. That is one thing about him. I have been
finding a way to say it in his presence. I forgot, even if they want to kill
me, let them kill me but I will say my mind, And even Major Ado, he knows if
Major Ado requests for money to repair his car. he will not give him. He will
tell him to source it out in Lagos. And when he sourced out the money in
Lagos. he would not pay you when you come to him. He will Intimidate you and
you cannot talk All these things are happening and all of us that are doing
this work that he sends us to do, it's another way for him, Because we know,
at times, he will send people after us. We know, at times, we would think why
are we in Lagos for this assignment and other people will come to be following
you too.
SIP: They will come and monitor you?
Rogers: I don't know, the same thing I will not know, what is there in it.
they will send you for assignment. they will say Go for assignment" and they
will still send people after you, does it mean that you will not do the
assignment? You will go there and you will not see them, but you will know
that you are on the same assignment with them, and there was a time when we
were sent for this arms and ammunition something which we came with some
people. They went for this... plenty people like that, and when they went for
that, they did not succeed. They said there is nothing there. And they still
sent us that we should go to that jungle again. On our way back again, then I
talked to one customs officer there, he said, "I saw a convoy like your own,
when you people were coming, they. too. turned back." So I believe they went
after us again.
SIP: (to Ado) The -statement you made really has nothing to do with what you
know.
Ado: It's always this. At times. it's like I'm losing my memory.
SIP: What happened? Did you have an accident?
Ado: Like I'm asking Rogers here....
SIP: Do you remember any special assignment?
Ado: I can't remember any particular one, wallahi this my memory is too bad.
Just too bad!
Rogers: It is now I recollected all these things. A lot of things... I started
recollecting assignments - And all these people in the villa. Once he
suspected maybe you will look, he will make sure they send you out of the
villa. even telephone operator. Anybody, he will make sure he sends you out of
the villa. So I look at that issue of Al-Mustapha. Sir, he said. if we want we
should say it. Because me I am saying the truth out of my riiind and I am not
denying anything. He said. if we want we should say the truth but he, there is
nothing they will do for him. That is what he said, nobody is going to convict
him anyhow. He said he believes if he does not say anything out of his mouth,
the court will not convict him. So now, we look at ourselves at our own level,
how can we get out of this problem? And we don t have some proof to say that
we were sent by Mustapha. We don't have any written evidence. So this is
actually the problem.
SIP: But that time he was sending you. why were you doing Why couldn't you
Rogers: He will not take it. He is a devil incarnate. I am telling you. We
were doing it that time because we know that if you don't go he will kill you.
And we did it because we were tryilig to be I~ and protect our interests. You
see, Al-Mustapha is a devil. Even It it is wrong, I have done it. I cannot
deny it. After we killed Kudirat. we went and collected the cassette of the
burial.
Ado: I gave you money to give Lateef?
Rogers: Yes sir, NlO,OO0
Ado: But not that I gave it directly to Lateef??
Rogers: No, you gave me.
Ado: And Lateef brought the cassette to you?
Rogers: Yes sir.
Ado: You took the cassette to Mustapha?
Rogers: Yes, sir. And you remember that when I told Oga AlMustapha "Mission
Accomplished in your office I told you he said: Well done boys, lie low.
Ado: Yes. I remember.
SIP: That's what we are trying to say, you said It was Abiola's cassette
Ado; No.I remember now You see. that's why I say if some of them are around,
it will let this my memory come back. And I am sure about what I Am saying.
SIP: So what are you telling us now? That you remember. what do you remember?
Ado: I gave this guy. he came to me: I gave him N1O,O0O that he wants to see
the cassette. And he collected the cassette.
SIP: You see what we are doing here.
Ado: Yes.
SIP: To prove that somebody is innocent we cannot do something unfairly,
that's what we are doing. We are also trying to protect you. those of you who
are claiming you know these things. And that's fine. But the way you are
trying to go about It. you are telling us you have lost your memory, you have
lost this and thiat. It's like you are not yourself. Because It is like you
don't, want to say that you know about It until somebody Puts it across to
you, that you don't have the guts. Assuming even if you'are taken to court
now. are you going to demand for the sItuation whereby, either Aminu Mohammed,
Rogers or Katako will have to be brought to refresh your memory? You don't
want to open up to tell us exactly what happened.
Rogers: Everybody will be running away to come out and say the truth. He
will not want to come out and testify against Al-Mustapha because he knows.
people know what plans AlMustapha has on the ground now. Because he is having
his own backing and he has lawyers to protect him and he also has money. So,
he who does not have money will believe he can even regroup people to go and
kill him in his house. That is why everybody, even Oga Ado. he dey fear. If
you go to another person again. it's the same fear. Because he has already
instilled that fear in us right from the beginning, Major Al-Mustapha, that
oqa is terrible.
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