Hamza Al-Mustapha, ex-chief security officer to Sani
Abacha, former head of state, says a camera at the
presidential villa in Abuja captured the last moments
of MKO Abiola, acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993
presidential election.

Abiola died under suspicious circumstances shortly
after the death of Abacha. He was due to be released
on July 7, 1998.

Speaking with reporters in Ibadan, Oyo state, after the
third south-west annual lecture titled, ‘Developing
leadership abilities in youth’, Al-Mustapha said the
existence of the tape was known to a few Nigerians.
He said those who threw him in detention plotted to
destroy the video tape.

Al-Mustapha said he was incarcerated for 15 years
without given the opportunity to defend himself on the
media.

“On October 21, 1998, I was arrested because of a
video cassette, not because of the late Kudirat Abiola.
But something happened, which a particular camera in
the villa captured,” he said.

“So, they wanted to take the videotape and burn it so
that Nigerians would not know what happened. That
was the beginning of my travails.”

“For 15 years, I didn’t have the chance to defend
myself in newspaper, radio and television. So, the
belief was Mustapha had committed an offence, even
before my arrest. But the actual thing that happened
to the late MKO Abiola is in that cassette that they
want to see, that is why Mustapha was subjected to
punishment and I was called names. They have
wanted to know the whereabouts of that tape in the
last 17 years.

“I appeared before 14 judges in Lagos. As soon as the
matter was about to finish, they would stop it and take
us to another court. For 15 years, I was in that state.
Out of the 15 years, five years and two months, I
served in detention with torture. The remaining was
between Ikoyi Prisons, Kirikiri Prisons and Kuje
Prisons.

“Many people, particularly lawyers, took money from
those who were looking for the cassette. They would
go to radio and television stations to rain abuses on
me, rather than coming to court. But they did not know
what was going on in the court of law.”

He also denied being involved in the death of Kudirat,
Abiola’s wife, saying the Abiola family was very close
family to him.

Al-Mustapha alleged that Barnabas Jabila, better
known as Sergeant Rogers , was influenced to give
false testimonies against him.

Rogers was a member of the strike force and
presidential bodyguard, which were specialised military
squads believed to have been used by Al-Mustapha to
get at the opponents of the Abacha regime.

Prominent personalities were killed under Abacha.

“On the late Kudirat Abiola, Rogers himself confessed
in a court of law along with other witnesses how much
money they were given. Rogers confessed he was told
to do so. He was given money. He was given a house.
He was given a car every six months, and he was
promised to be taken outside Nigeria,” he said.

“The plan was as soon as Lagos court pronounced me
guilty and I was to be hanged, then they would rush
me to prison and hang me without giving me the
option to go for appeal. That was what happened.

“I thank God Almighty everything that happened in
Lagos State Court was compiled and signed by all the
14 judges. We are putting it together. My father has
already put the book together in three volumes. You
will see them soon.”

TheCable