With the Controversies over some of the Past Deals and sales of Government properties still rising and raging coupled with the Trials of some former Military Government aids Some issues that have been hidden to millions of Nigerians are gradually finding their way out to light.

Just Recently Al-Mustapha Opens Can Of Worms, Fingers Ex-Head Of State, Abdusalam Over Abacha, Abiola’s Death…Also Narrates How $200m, £75m, N500m Were Shared To S/W Leaders Over June 12 Imbroglio

Former Chief Security Officer, (CSO) to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, standing trial for the death of late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola opened his defense before a Lagos High Court where he accused former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar of alleged complicity in the death of Abacha and late winner of June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

Led in evidence by his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, the former CSO who broke down in tears told the trial judge, Justice Mojisola Dada that he had both audio and video evidence of how the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha and the late Chief Abiola were allegedly murdered.

He told the court that Gen Abdusalam Abubakar has been working hard to keep him perpetually in prison because of fears that he (Al-Mustapha) would divulge information at his disposal on the death of Abacha and Abiola.

In 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 former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar to further keep me in prison. First, were the events that happened after the murder of General Sani Abacha and late Chief MKO Abiola. For fear that I may divulge information that led to their death; they have to keep me in prison till date.

“I am an officer who is being persecuted. After the death of Abacha so much happened within three days and the country was without a President or Vice President. The then Vice President Lt Gen Diya was imprisoned for staging a coup. Many senior officers wanted to become Head of State, but God gave me the wisdom and I assisted General Abdulsalami Abubakar to become President. But, this is the price I am paying for my loyalty and for assisting him”

Al-Mustapha who told the court that he was enlisted into the Nigeria Army in 1980 added that he served in various units before his appointment as the Chief Security Officer to the later Abacha. According to him, there is documentary evidence to show that shortly after the death of late Abiola, the then Head of State allegedly ordered that various sums of money should be withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He told the court that $200 million US dollars, £75 million British Pounds and N500 million were allegedly withdrawn from the Central Bank to appease South West leaders and douse tension that arose after the death of Abiola.

He told the court that he knew Chief MKO Abiola as far back as 1985 and that he was like a father to him adding that even after the annulment of June 12 1993 elections he assisted him (Abiola) on several occasions to gain access to senior military officers including Gen Sani Abacha.

He said on one occasion the late Abiola slept and eat dinner in his house when it was late for him to go home after consultations with some senior military officers on how he could regain his mandate.

He told the court that all visits to the late Abiola were on tape disclosing that some people after visiting Abiola would come back at night to the Presidential Villa to speak against him.

According to him he did not order Sergeant Barnabas Jabila Msheila (alias Sgt Rogers) to kill Alhaja Kudirat Abiola saying “on several occasions I assisted the Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, Mr. Kola Abiola, his Dr. Ore Falomo and his lawyers to visit him (Abiola) in prison). Abilola would have been killed the very day Abacha died but I relocated him within the barracks and used the Strike Force to protect him from those who wanted to balance the equation”.

Former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State Gen. Sani Abacha, Hamza al-Mustapha, also told a Lagos High Court Igbosere that former Head of State, Abdusalami Abubakar, had recommended former President Olusegun Obasanjo for execution in 1995.

Al-Mustapha, who closed his testimony before Justice Mojisola Dada on Thursday, said Abubakar made the recommendation at a meeting of the Military Council headed by Abacha, after Obasanjo was detained for alleged complicity in a coup attempt against the then military government.

Al-Mustapha said he was not present at the meeting but that he “illegally wired” the video coverage of the meeting.

He said Abubakar made various remarks against Obasanjo at the meeting.

Al-Mustapha said, “Abubakar made various comments against Obasanjo. He said Obasanjo was irresponsible, calling him (Obasanjo) several names that I can’t even say here. He said Gen. Obasanjo must face the 1979 decree he (Obasanjo) made regarding coup plot. He was sayng Obasanjo must die.”

The matter is still on for continuation of trial

On The Other Hand

A former military administrator of Kaduna State, Col. Abubakar Umar (retd.), on Monday asked the Federal Government to investigate the role played by President Olusegun Obasanjo in the privatization programme. Umar said the investigation should be concluded in Obasanjo’s lifetime.

Umar who ruled Kaduna State between 1985 and 1988, in a statement in Kaduna, wondered why all the major initiatives embarked upon by the Obasanjo administration from 1999 to 2007 “have been such spectacular failures.”

He said, “Indeed not a few Nigerians are keen to know why all the major initiatives embarked upon during the eight years Chief Obasanjo ruled the country – privatization, power sector reforms, alienation of Federal Government Properties, 2003 general elections, 2007 general elections, etc. – have been such spectacular failures.

“The Federal Government owes it to posterity to order for an investigation into these disasters immediately and not to wait a day longer. To wait until Chief Obasanjo might have died (as all of us will, some day) would expose it to charges of wickedness. When that happens, it would have no coherent defence.”

An ad hoc committee of the Senate is currently investigating the Federal Government’s privatisation programme from 1999 till date. Members of the committee at the weekend said they might invite Obasanjo to come and defend himself against allegations of interference in the programme levied against him by former heads of the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

A former Director-General of the BPE, Dr. Julius Bala, had alleged that the former president interfered in the sale of the Delta Steel Company by rejecting the bid won by BUA International, and promoting the bid of the Global Infrastructure Company.

One of the major discoveries of the investigation was that the Aluminum Smelter Company of Nigeria, which was constructed with $3.2b, was sold in 2005 to Rusal for a paltry $250m. However, Bala, explained that the Presidency acted on the advice of the National Security Adviser.

The panel was also told that the concession of the Ajaokuta Steel to Global Steel was completely handled and negotiated by the Ministry of Steel Development, under the direction of the former President. A top official, who confirmed the development, then told the committee that it was a violation of the Privatisation Act. Also, Obasanjo’s name came up during the session on the sale of NICON Insurance to Global Fleet.

Another former DG of the BPE, Nasir El-Rufai, also said that government interference was a major problem for the privatization exercise. He alleged that Obasanjo “practically blocked the sale of Nigeria Airways.” He also mentioned that the former President and former Vice- President Atiku Abubakar, made efforts to influence the privatization process.

He said revelations that emanated from the Senate hearings on the government’s privatisation exercise had left many Nigerians “sick with outrage.”

A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, at the public hearing, had told the committee that it would be failing in its duty if it did not invite Obasanjo to clarify issues following the allegations levelled against him.

Former president, Olusegun Obasanjo and his deputy, Atiku Abubakar, may have influenced the sales of government enterprises to their friends, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, a former Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), has said.

Mallam El-Rufai made the revelations while testifying before an ad hoc Senate committee investigating the privatization and commercialization of government businesses from 1999 till date. Mallam El-Rufai told the committee that when he ran the Bureau, Obasanjo and Atiku contacted him at different times to influence the sale of government companies to their cronies but that he turned them down each time.

“The president and I were always quarrelling over issues of privatisation,” Mallam El-Rufai said. “Each time I told him we have a process ... that they should advise their friends to be the highest bidder.” He added that former President Obasanjo blocked the sale of Nigeria Airways because of a personal interest he formed based on stories the then aviation minister, Kema Chikwe, was telling him.

Mallam El-Rufai’s claims are corroborated by testimonies of Chris Anyanwu, who was also a Director General of the bureau. Earlier, Mr. Anyanwu had told the Senate committee that “some individuals,” whom he described as “powerful,” influenced the decisions of both the bureau and the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory commission.

At an earlier hearing, Chief Obasanjo was also accused of having taking a unilateral decision—ignoring recommendations from BPE and due process—to sell Delta Steel Company to Global Infrastructure instead of the winner of the bidding process, BUA Group.

The Senate committee has since the beginning of the week been investigating the sale of over 100 government enterprises. It has taken testimonies from benefiting investors as well as both current and former heads of the bureau. It is however unclear if the committee will invite Obasanjo to testify before it.