John Shiklam
13 August 2007
Kaduna — Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the 19 Northern states and Abuja has called for the immediate release of Major Hamza Al Mustapha, Major Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, James Danbaba and Jibril Bala Yakubu who have been in detention in the past eight, years.
The body, in a communiqué at the end of its quarterly meeting last weekend in Kaduna, accused the federal government of keeping Al Mustapha and others in prison custody maintaining that there was no justice in keeping them in detention for such a long time.
CAN, however, commended the federal government over the on-going prosecution of former governors for alleged corrupt practices while they were in office.
The communiqué which was jointly signed by the Chairman of the association Archbishop Peter Jatau and the Secretary, Elder Saidu Dogo, reads: "the Northern CAN and Abuja appealed to the federal government to look into the cases of Major Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, Maj. Al Mustapha, James Danbaba and others who have been languishing in prison without trial and no medical attention given to them since 1999. We feel that there is no justice in this case considering the interest of peace and unity of the nation.
"The meeting commended the federal government for the on-going prosecution of former governors which shows that there are no sacred cows in Nigeria but we are unhappy over the strict and rigorous condition of bail which involves traditional rulers. We believe it is unconstitutional and uncalled for.
"The meeting however urged EFCC to hasten its investigation into the cases of those in their net and those yet to be arrested so as to ensure speedy delivery of justice as justice delayed is justice denied," it stressed.
The communiqué further urged the federal government to intervene in reported cases of Christian girls being 'forced' to wear the Islamic hijjab in government schools in Kano and Sokoto states, stressing that, "the practice of the Sharia code is for Muslims alone and a breach of the constitution to extend it to Christians.
Bamaiyi, former Chief of Army Staff (CAS); Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha; James Danbaba, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Colonel Bala Jibrin Yakubu, former military administrator of Zamfara State and CSP Rabo Lawal, former Mobile Police Commander in Aso Rock have, for the past eight years been standing trial over alleged attempted murder of the publisher of The Guardian Newspapers, Mr. Alex Ibru.
While many people have continued to show interest in the case, a few see it as another injustice on the North.
Bamaiyi, through his counsel, Wahab Shittu last year, applied for bail to enable him proceed abroad for medical treatment.
He also sought for separate trial arguing that he should be tried separately from other suspects, but he lost in his bid.
Bamaiyi's case became worsened when, last year, the LUTH said it can't treat him.
Mustapha, on his part, was once alleged to be involved in a coup scare. He also told the court to void his transfer to the Directorate of Military intelligence (DMI) from where he had been abducted.
All the accused were in 1999, indicted by a Special Investigation Panel (SIP) for their attempt on Ibru's life.
They were charged to court in October that year on a two-count charge of conspiracy to murder Ibru who escaped death by whiskers when assassins reined bullets on him on February 2, 1996, at Victoria Island, Lagos.
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