Dayo Benson, Kennedy Mbele &Nathaniel Ikyur, Kano
3 December 2000
opinion
Lagos — Just few days at the Oputa Panel, Maj. Mustapha revelations are threatening to jolt the sensibilities of Nigerians on who played what role during Abacha's regime, but some believe he's only raking up unfounded stories to save his head.
FOR a man already facing criminal charges in two separate courts, his appearance at the on-going Lagos sitting of the Oputa Panel is a continuation of the seemingly endless trial of Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha. His appearances and utterances may have diminished whatever larger than life stories that have been told about him. Mustapha's experiences are a sort of demystification of the young officer whose name at a time invoked morbid fears in the military. However, before the fact finding human rights abuses commission, he has demonstrated the soft side of a stern-faced soldier.
Employing outward conciliatory gestures, he has subtly been warming himself into the hearts of many who would rather spat on his face yesterday. But not many are carried away by his new-found friendly dispositions and warmth, especially, those who have had raw deals in his hands while he called the shots in Aso Rock.
As Abacha's somewhat alter ego, he was as much dreaded as the man he was protecting. In a way, he comes across as his master's man Friday, a faithful servant that stands by his dead master. Whatever role he had played, he has stoutly defended the regime and rationalized some of his actions as one not unexpected of a loyal servant.
Before the Oputa Panel, he has started beaming light on the dark lane of the nation's recent experiences under Abacha. Mustapha has told Nigerians how certain royal fathers implored him to seize power after Abacha's sudden demise. He has branded some Nigerians terrorists and told all that Bashorun MKO Abiola's death was a state murder. He has indeed vowed to reveal more.
With his reputation under the tyrannical regime that Abacha's was those who know Mustapha well enough are not moved by these revelations. From what they know of him, he may well be shifting attention from his own ignoble role during Abacha years.
For instance, Mustapha who claimed he resisted the urge to seize power immediately after Abacha's death was actually indicted by security reports of plotting to topple Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar's government. It was Maj. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (rtd) who reported the plot. But on interrogation he said it was Bamaiyi who was actually planning a coup which he was prepared to prove with documentary evidence.
Whatever defence he would want to put up on his roles during the regime, perhaps he may not admit that he was in charge of the entire security in the country. As the commander, he co-ordinated the training of all men in the dreaded strike force which were done in North Korea and Libya. In the military under Abacha, no officer knew for certain the number of personnel Mustapha trained. The purpose then was for them to confront the military which was then the only threat to Abacha's consuming ambition of transforming into a civilian President. Such anticipated showdown never took place between the military and the strike force which by far, out numbered the brigade put at 1,800.
No doubt, Major Mustapha meant different things to different people. For some he was just a loyal officer doing the job assigned to him with everything at his disposal. To others, he was an arrogant and ruthless soldier who got carried away by the enormity of power he wielded. Perhaps, his role would be better understood within this context of power dialectics. A victim of Abacha's regime whose promising career was brusquely truncated, Lt. Col. G.F. Majekodunmi captured the Mustapha he knew thus: "he was feared but detested especially by the Generals who had things" to do with Abacha. A master of intrigues and subterfuges that he was under Abacha, the attributes that sustained him, he believes all Mustapha has been saying are probably well concocted lies.
Col. Majekodunmi points at the so-called SSS documents on Prof. Wole Soyinka as a terrorist which the former Director General Mr. Peter Nwaodia denied originated from the outfit.
The only people that probably believe Mustapha is sincere are his lawyer and frankly members. For the former, his client is paying the price of serving under Abacha because certain state organized crimes may have been committed with his name. He says Mustapha has decided to speak the truth so that the past wounds afflicting the nation would heal.
In Kano, Alhaji Suleiman Hashibu who claims to be a family friend of Alhaji Hadi Mustapha, younger brother to Al-Mustapha told Sunday Vanguard in Kano that "the family background which Al-Mustapha has may have greatly influenced his attitude to his duties".
Hashibu insists that "the role he (Al-Mustapha) played in government is at variance with his family background and upbringing. He is such an amiable fellow that could hardly hurt any one. Those of us who came to know him even in his adult life know that he was brought up to be a respectful and loyal member of the family who for one day cannot go contrary to his parent's instructions.
"I believe that is the disposition he obviously carried to the army where he obeyed Abacha's instructions to the letter. That loyalty to a large extent have brought him this ordeal which he is now going through".
Alhaji Adamu Idris Yakassai, father of jailed medical doctor, Lt. col. Ibrahim Yakassai who also spoke to Sunday Vanguard on Al-Mustapha had little to say on him. According to him, "it is his father, Mustapha that I know very well. We :himself and Al-Mustapha's father)were together in Lagos for over 30 years.
"I don't know the family as evil men by the time I knew Al-Mustapha, he was just a smallboy but from all indications, we did not possess strange qualities like someone who do evil to his fellow beings", Alhaji Adamu said through an interpreter.
At the Lamido Crescent residence of his parents, although Sunday Vanguard could not gain access into the house, a volunteer middle aged man who claimed he hails from Nguru in Yobe State like the embattled soldier said, "we all know that this bad bad thing una de talk about our brother na lie. Major Mustapha was not responsible for all the killings wey been de happen".
The young man who gave his name as Abirshir Hamisu was visibly fatigued owing to the on-going fasting by the Muslims but he managed to add "go to Nguru and ask about Al-Mustapha. He is loved by all. This is because he has affected our lives with a lot of social amenities".
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