Al-Mustafa: Justice or vengeance?
Major Al-Mustafa’s cruel journey into detention began in Enugu on October 22nd 1998 when he was railroaded into detention by the former military regime of General Abdulasalami Abubakar. He was accused of planning a coup and that he was in control of billions of hard currencies, which the military administration then had purportedly wanted to […]
Major Al-Mustafa’s cruel journey into detention began in Enugu on October 22nd 1998 when he was railroaded into detention by the former military regime of General Abdulasalami Abubakar. He was accused of planning a coup and that he was in control of billions of hard currencies, which the military administration then had purportedly wanted to recover. The military in power then allegedly feared that with such a young Major suspiciously in control of huge hard currencies, he might become a dangerous and powerful opponent and therefore, he must be dealt with at all cost. Such was the suspicion among most Nigerians when the Abdulsalami Abubakar regime finally seized the young Major and threw him into detention. The speed with which Gen. Abubakar arrested and detained him heightened the suspicion about the motives of the regime.
Determined to deal with the young Major, the Abubakar administration brought Al-Mustafa before the Special Investigating Panel (S.I.P.) in April 1999. But he was eventually cleared of the allegations of coup plotting and carting away hard currencies after the death of General Abacha. Nigerians should not forget in a hurry that former President Obasanjo, who inherited the captive, and his Director General of State Security Service (SSS), Col. Kayode Are, also set up their own S.I.P. to deal with Major Al-Mustafa. Why was General Abdulsalami and Obasanjo sadistically determined to deal with Al-Mustafa at all cost? Is it because of their desire for justice or because he knew too much? Does his freedom pose a threat to anybody? These are legitimate and nagging questions on the minds of many discerning Nigerians. His enemies are hiding behind justice for the late Kudirat Abiola to execute their own private agenda against him. The former Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo, once told the Voice of America (Hausa Service) that certain Generals and politicians in the North were in connivance with Obasanjo to frustrate Major Al-Mustafa’s freedom. In fact, he even mentioned names and those he accused didn’t officially deny it.
Even while he was languishing in detention, the former Obasanjo administration had accused Al-Mustafa of planning a coup from his prison cell. In particular, the young Major was alleged to have planned the assassination of Obasanjo by shooting down his helicopter with a stinger missile and that Al-Mustafa was bankrolling the plot. But the case collapsed in court and he was acquitted of the alleged coup attempt against former President Obasanjo. From October 1999 to date, Major Al-Mustafa has faced at least nine Judges of the Lagos High Court and a Magistrate.
In the latest reports, the trial Judge has expressed open displeasure with the delaying tactics of the prosecution team to present their witnesses in court. Despite repeated extension of time granted the prosecution team in the past, the Judge lamented that they were still unable to produce their witnesses in court. And now he had given them what appears to be like the last opportunity to present witnesses in court so that the trial could make progress. Keeping anybody in detention for more than 12 years and with no definite date for the conclusion of the trial is the worst example of justice delayed is justice denied. While seeking justice for any alleged victim of murder, we should not commit injustice in the reverse.
Major Al-Mustafa’s case was further discredited by the government’s star witness, Mr. Barnabas Mshelia (a.k.a. Sergeant Rogers), who told the court that two former Ministers of Justice – the late Bola ige Mr. Kanu Agabi and the former Lagos State Attorney General, Professor Femi Osibanjo had visited him in jail to seek his cooperation to implicate Al-Mustafa. According to Rogers, they had promised him handsome rewards if he cooperated. The prosecution team was sent reeling for cover after Rogers’ revelation and the case had to be adjourned once again. In fact, even the former Obasanjo administration treated Rogers like a prince and reinstated him into the army with the purpose of securing his maximum cooperation to implicate Al-Mustafa.
It is strange to most Nigerians, however, that despite Rogers embarrassing revelation in court, the officials he indicted have refused to deny or confirm the allegations against them. Chief Bola is dead to defend himself; Kanu Agabi and Professor Femi Osibanjo who are however still alive, have maintained curious silence. Worse still, the court didn’t invite them to clarify Rogers’ allegations. When justice is tainted by prejudice and politics, it loses its essence.
Pursued by different enemies who want him dead for different motives, Major Al-Mustafa is arguably one of the most traumatized, mentally, emotionally and psychologically tortured political detainees in recent memory. In fact, even his health condition is in jeopardy, worsened by the life-threatening high blood pressure that has afflicted his mother because of the tribulation her son is going through at the hands of political enemies.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Professor Itse Sagay, didn’t help matters in his recent interview with the Daily Trust newspaper in which he accused Al-Mustafa of intentionally delaying his own trial. The Professor didn’t explain why any normal person would choose to remain in detention for twelve years, risking his liberty, comfort and health. Curiously, rather than accusing the prosecution for delaying tactics, the Professor chose to put the saddle on the wrong horse in order to play to a particular political gallery. He didn’t also advise Chief Kanu Agabi and Professor Femi Osibanjo to defend themselves against the allegations by Rogers that they had attempted to induce him to implicate Al-Mustafa.
President Goodluck Jonathan should intervene politically in this matter and grant freedom to Al-Mustafa. Nigerians had welcomed the amnesty granted the Niger Delta militants, despite committing murders, kidnappings for ransom and carrying out economic sabotage by blowing up oil facilities. They supported the amnesty in the spirit of national healing and reconciliation. Major Al-Mustafa has suffered enough and the President should rise above the sentiments of those seeking to use justice to achieve political agendas. As the commander in Chief, the President is the embodiment of our national values, including the virtues of mercy and forgiveness. He can exercise his prerogative of mercy to grant freedom to Al-Mustapha, a gesture which is long overdue.
Ahmad wrote from 133, Malali, Kaduna. [email protected]