Menu Leave A Comment Name * Mail (unpublished) * Website Publish Al-Mustapha Challenges Obasanjo To Public Debate On Content Of Letter To Jonathan.
Recently released former Chief Security
Officer to late Head-of-State, Gen. Sani
Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has
challenged ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo,
to a public debate on any national issue.
Al-Mustapha threw the challenge at the former
president while speaking in an interview with
the Hausa Service of the Voice of America,
monitored in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Al-Mustapha was reacting to the contents of a
letter written by Obasanjo to President
Goodluck Jonathan in which he alleged that
snipers were being trained in North Korea. The
former president also insinuated that Mr.
Jonathan interfered with the court process to
set an unnamed murderer free, and organised
a presidential reception for him in a veiled
reference to Al-Mustapha.
But the former CSO explained that he was not
around when Obasanjo’s letter was leaked to
the public as he was away in India receiving
treatment for injuries he sustained while in
detention but that he had read the letter in the
media.
In his initial reaction to the letter when it first
came out, Al-Mustapha, who spoke through his
counsel Barrister Olalekan Ojo dismissed
Obasanjo’s allegation as “disturbing,
worrisome and unwarranted”.
Al-Mustapha said the former president is
aware that he knows Nigeria as much as he
(Obasanjo) knows the country. As such, he
was ready to face him anywhere in the world
to discuss matters relating to Nigeria.
“First of all, he (Obasanjo) did not mention me
by name in his letter. Secondly, he knows that
I know Nigeria as much as he does, if he has
something to tell me, I want him to come out
and tell me straight”, Al-Mustapha said.
“He should ask me or challenge me, I
challenge him to (discuss) anything about
Nigeria that he wants to talk about even long
before he became Head-of-State (1976-1979),
I am ready to meet him in public anywhere in
the world”, he added.
Responding to a specific question on
allegations that he was privy to the on-going
training of snipers, Al-Mustapha swore that it
was all lies.
The former CSO said he is a devout Muslim
and has over the years facilitated the
recruitment of northerners into the military and
para-military agencies; and would therefore
never involve himself in anything that would
betray the region or bring the North to ridicule.
“Perhaps it is Obasanjo and his cronies that
are planning what he was insinuating”, he
added.
Al-Mustapha said he had decided to forgive all
those who had a hand in his incarceration
when he was being tried for the murder of
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed
winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential
election, Chief MKO Abiola. He was initially
convicted for the murder by a Lagos High
Court but was later discharged and acquitted
by the Court of Appeal.
He, however, added that such people, including
Mr. Obasanjo have failed to accept that fact
and still harbour fears about him and what he
knows about them.
“I urge everyone to pray for Obasanjo to
accept my challenge for a public debate so that
the truth will come out”, he said.
The former CSO restated his commitment to
helping Nigeria find its rhythm by uniting the
people, especially the youth and the poor.
“From 1974 to the present, a lot of things are
buried with all sorts of lies. But all would be
revealed one day”, Al-Mustapha said.
Officer to late Head-of-State, Gen. Sani
Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has
challenged ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo,
to a public debate on any national issue.
Al-Mustapha threw the challenge at the former
president while speaking in an interview with
the Hausa Service of the Voice of America,
monitored in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Al-Mustapha was reacting to the contents of a
letter written by Obasanjo to President
Goodluck Jonathan in which he alleged that
snipers were being trained in North Korea. The
former president also insinuated that Mr.
Jonathan interfered with the court process to
set an unnamed murderer free, and organised
a presidential reception for him in a veiled
reference to Al-Mustapha.
But the former CSO explained that he was not
around when Obasanjo’s letter was leaked to
the public as he was away in India receiving
treatment for injuries he sustained while in
detention but that he had read the letter in the
media.
In his initial reaction to the letter when it first
came out, Al-Mustapha, who spoke through his
counsel Barrister Olalekan Ojo dismissed
Obasanjo’s allegation as “disturbing,
worrisome and unwarranted”.
Al-Mustapha said the former president is
aware that he knows Nigeria as much as he
(Obasanjo) knows the country. As such, he
was ready to face him anywhere in the world
to discuss matters relating to Nigeria.
“First of all, he (Obasanjo) did not mention me
by name in his letter. Secondly, he knows that
I know Nigeria as much as he does, if he has
something to tell me, I want him to come out
and tell me straight”, Al-Mustapha said.
“He should ask me or challenge me, I
challenge him to (discuss) anything about
Nigeria that he wants to talk about even long
before he became Head-of-State (1976-1979),
I am ready to meet him in public anywhere in
the world”, he added.
Responding to a specific question on
allegations that he was privy to the on-going
training of snipers, Al-Mustapha swore that it
was all lies.
The former CSO said he is a devout Muslim
and has over the years facilitated the
recruitment of northerners into the military and
para-military agencies; and would therefore
never involve himself in anything that would
betray the region or bring the North to ridicule.
“Perhaps it is Obasanjo and his cronies that
are planning what he was insinuating”, he
added.
Al-Mustapha said he had decided to forgive all
those who had a hand in his incarceration
when he was being tried for the murder of
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed
winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential
election, Chief MKO Abiola. He was initially
convicted for the murder by a Lagos High
Court but was later discharged and acquitted
by the Court of Appeal.
He, however, added that such people, including
Mr. Obasanjo have failed to accept that fact
and still harbour fears about him and what he
knows about them.
“I urge everyone to pray for Obasanjo to
accept my challenge for a public debate so that
the truth will come out”, he said.
The former CSO restated his commitment to
helping Nigeria find its rhythm by uniting the
people, especially the youth and the poor.
“From 1974 to the present, a lot of things are
buried with all sorts of lies. But all would be
revealed one day”, Al-Mustapha said.
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