Al-Mustapha's challenge to the Police:Let's have  the Report on Kudirat's murder

By Ayokunle Oloye Newsdiaryonline Mon Aug 8,2011

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha ,the chief security officer to late  military ruler, General Sani Abacha, 

on Monday informed  a Lagos High Court that  the was a report by the police on the murder of 

Kudirat Abiola and he challenged the  police to produce it.

He said this after  insisting that  he never at any time  ordered   the  killing of  Kudirat Abiola, 

Al-Mustapha also told  the court  presided  over by Justice Mojisola Dada that he never ordered the

 killing of any  other persons  assassinated  while Abacha was the head of  state.

The former CSO while being  cross-examined by the Lagos State Solicitor General and lead

 prosecution  counsel, Lawal Pedro (SAN), argued that the prosecution(Lagos State Government)  

did not  even know of the game plan to  punish  him unduly for the  murder of 

Kudirat.He added that the Lagos  State government was not given the original version of the VHS

 tape recorded  during 

the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) proceedings showcasing what  actually happened at the time.

Al- Mustapha said that he was  tortured for a year and denied access to his lawyers.

"I did not order  anybody to kill Kudirat Abiola. There is no doubt that there were oppositions to  

the government of

 General Abacha at the time just as it happens in other  governments. Abacha was the most hated 

head of state.

"The strongest  opposition then was within the military and not NADECO. I can also confirm to  

you that the struggle 

by NADECO at the time was not genuine," he  added.

The accused person however said that  there was a point he had to confess to investigators that he 

was involved in the

  murder of Kudirat when the SIP began to torture him psychologically. He said when he saw that 

that they  had begun 

to threathen his father, his family and his brother he had to make a  forced confession. “They told me

 that was my visa to 

Lagos. But I did that  because I believe I  would have the opportunity to state my case in court,” he  

said.

Al- Mustapha who reiterated that MKO  Abiola was killed by the AbdulSalami  Abubakar,  also 

 informed the judge that he on several occasions assisted the Late Kudirat to see 

the late politician when he was in detention.

 "I did not order the  arrest of any political figure in the country during the administration of 

Abacha but I sent Rabo Lawal to confirm the act of burning Abacha's properties  in Lagos and not to

 checkmate the  activities of NADECO in the state. 

“Infact, it was the Garrison Command  in Lagos led by retired General Patrick Azazi that was directed 

to take over  protection  of the said property," he said.

The former CSO explained that it was  the then Inspector General of Police (IG), Alhaji Ibrahim Coomasie 

that ordered  the arrest of Abiola. He said he had never at any time initiated the arrest of  anybody

 including those of persons like late  Abraham Adesanya, Ayo  Opadokun  and others who were detained 

during the tenure of  Abacha.

He added that, "The NADECO was a  visible opposition of the Abacha's government. I don't belong 

to the council  that takes decision in the presidency at the time but I was  

responsible for the  protection of facilities to be used for whatever meeting in 

the  presidency."

Al-Mustapha urged the court to order General Abubakar to return  all documents carted away from his

 house while he was in

detention and also  challenged the police to produce the report on the investigation of the murder  of 

Kudirat. The matter has 

been adjourned till  Tuesday  .

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