Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer,CSO, to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has said that he has forgiven those who were responsible for his 15-year travails in prison.
He said this on Sunday after arriving at his home-state of Kano aboard a private jet, accompanied by leader of the Oodua People’s Congress, OPC, Dr. Fredrick Faseun.
Al Mustapha was arrested in 1999 and held at the Kirikiri prison on the allegation that he masterminded the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola .
Speaking at the Kano Government House, where he was received by Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and members of his cabinet, Al-Mustapha lamented the refusal of prison authorities to allow him see his ailing parents despite permission by the Court.
“I must say that even though I lost my father and my mother whom I was forced to see only two times in 15 years—I am their first child, I must say I am their confidant and best friend in my family; and yet, even when the Court forced the then authorities to allow them set their eyes on me, the approvals of the Court were flagrantly refused. And I was kept and punished the more, just a ploy to ensure that I don’t set eyes on my parents. I saw my father in 2001, and later I saw him in May of 2007 – my mother, I was allowed to see in August of 2001, and then I was allowed also to see her after a long battle, despite all instructions from the Federal High Court, Lagos, I saw her in 2006 and she died last year, in the month of Ramadan, he said.
“Things we went through are things that I cannot sum up anywhere, but all I can say that yesterday is gone. Those who have perpetrated what they did against us have done it in their own deductions, analysis, feelings but to us, yesterday is gone. We have drawn a line and we have forgiven them. We are forging ahead to set examples.
The former military officer, who addressed the audience which included Mohammed Abacha, was full of praise for the OPC founder.
While wiping his tearful eyes, he said, “Your Excellency, I have found a father—highly dogmatic, a senior citizen of this country, a detribalized elder, an intellectual, a person that is a father indeed with a wide shoulder and a big heart, a man that is very reliable, responsible, dependable, Dr. Fredrick Faseun. “He stood by me, having taken time to come to the Court to realize what were going on in the Court of Law and on the other hand, what were being scripted and sponsored on the pages of Newspapers, magazines, television and the radio were different, he now decided to stay on the part of justice and insist that justice must be served. In rainy season, dry season, cold season, he was always in Court.
“I know of the humiliation he served. Your Excellency I must say that I have a father in the South-West and part of this country, that is my own and that is a personality I look on to for vision and guidance and I respect him as a father that can look through issues in this country beyond tribal sentiment, beyond religious issues, he is an asset to the country, and that is why I have anchored upon him as a father with whom we can look into the future together with.”
The Governor who later addressed thousands of well-wishers, friends and sympathizers outside his office, called on them to give thanks to Allah for making the release of their “son” possible.
“What happened to him is a big lesson, not only to the family but to everyone of us; but I give thanks to the Judiciary for these bold verdict. The few times I visited him in prison, I saw the commitment and his faith in Allah, and it was obvious that he would one day regain his freedom and today, that has been actualized; and the government, friends and associates of this great son will pull resources together to ensure his rehabilitation anywhere he chooses to live.
In his remark, Faseun expressed his delight over his friend’s freedom, while thanking the mammoth crowd that had received Al-Mustapha at the airport.
“Hamza Al-Mustpha was taken away in 1999 in tattered clothes and in chains under a pitiable situation; but today he has returned a hero, we have always insisted that he was unjustly held. We felt concerned and decided to be part of justice. I am happy that after a heavy rain, the sky is good. This is the only country we can call our own. We must eschew mutual hostility, mutual suspicion and build not only a good nation, but a great nation.”
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