Umar Ibn Khattab: A Just Ruler

Please read to the end, the lessons are worthwhile

History bends to the will of man when it is exercised with faith and steadfastness. Umar (r) was one of such men. He bent history to his will, leaving a legacy that successor generations have looked upon as a model to copy. He was one of the greatest of conquerors, a wise administrator, a just ruler, a monumental builder and a man of piety who loved God. The Prophet planted the seed of Tawhid. It was during the Caliphate of Umar (r) that the seed grew into a full-blown tree and bore fruit. Umar (r) shaped the historical edifice of Islam and whatever Islam became in subsequent centuries is due primarily to the work of this historical figure. Indeed, Umar (r) was the architect of Islamic civilization.
Umar having to come from a poor background rose to weld together an empire greater in extent than either that of Rome or Persia and governed it with the wisdom of a Solomon and administered it with the sagacity of a Joseph.
Upon his election to the Caliphate, Umar (r) was faced with the immediate geopolitical situation in West Asia. The Persian and Byzantine empires held the balance of power in the region with the Euphrates River as the historical divide between their respective areas of influence. The emergence of Islam and the unification of the Arabs altered this balance of power. It was a situation that neither the Byzantines nor the Persians could ignore. The emperor of Persia, was on record as having ordered an assault on Madina. The Byzantines had also attacked on the northern frontier and had killed the Muslim general Zaid bin Haris (632). Border clashes had begun during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr (r) between the newborn Islamic state and the two superpowers. The triumph of Umar (r) over the mighty empires of Persia and Byzantium within a brief span of ten years is one of the most remarkable stories in military history. In 641, Umar (r) sent an expedition to Alexandria which was then under the Byzantines. It was  conquered and the muslim army moved to Tripoli in Libya.
Unlike how some people perceive islam, it is A RELIGION OF PEACE. Umar, apart from the prophet(SAW) and Abubakr is the greatest leader Islam ever had and he  treated the conquered people with a lot of respect and fairness. The document signed upon the conquer of Jerusalem provides an example. Umar wrote:
         “This is the safety given by a servant of God, the leader of the faithful, Umar ibn alKhattab (r) to the people of Ilia. This safety is for their life, property, church and cross, for the healthy and the sick and for all their co-religionists. Their churches shall neither be used as residence nor shall they be demolished. No harm shall be done to their churches or their boundaries. There shall be no decrease in their crosses or riches. There shall neither be any compulsion in religion nor shall they be harmed.”
The document speaks for itself. The Muslim armies were fighting for the freedom of worship, not for religious conversion. They considered it their mission on earth to free humankind from the yoke of exploitation and abuse.”
Meanwhile the eastern war with Persia is active. After losing in the boader areas of the Euphrates River, the Persians re-organized and stroke again. They were again defeated at Namaraq and then again at Maqatia. Devastated by there loses, the Persians re-inforced with an army of 150,000 men which included one hundread war elephants mounted troops. It was obvious it has became a test of strength between Muslims and the Persian empire. Umar offered to lead the campaign to Persia himself but was later persuaded to designate Sa’ad ibn Waqqas to lead an army 20,000 troops to Persia among which are 70 companions who fought the battle of Badr with the prophet. The Persians made a tactical blunder, they wore heavy amour unsuitable for warfare in the desert and consequently they were defeated.
That was a turning point in world history. It marked the fall of the Persian empire which was among the largest and strongest empires the world has ever seen. It also marked the beginning of Islamic empire. (Without Umar in history, Islam would not have been spread to the rest of the world).
Within a decade of Umar’s leadership, he has completely invaded the Persian and the Byzantine empires and some territories of the Roman empire. Madina was now the capital of the largest empire in the world. Extending from Tripoli in Libya from the west, to the boarders of China and India in the East, down to Ethiopia in the south and ended in Spain from the north. This empire was ruled not by a king or a general but by a revolutionary creed.
When Caliph Umar (r) was informed of the victories over Persia, he went to the mosque in Madina and addressed the people:
“ O believers! The Persians have lost their kingdom. They cannot harm us any more. God has made you inherit their country, their properties and their riches, so that He may test you. Therefore, you should not change your ways. Otherwise, God will bring forth another nation in place of you. I feel anxiety for our community from our own people”.
Umar (r) was a superb administrator. He established a Shura(consultative) council and sought advice on matters of state. He divided the far-flung empire into the provinces. A governor, answerable to the Caliph, was appointed for each province.
Warren Buffet is said to be the humblest billionaire on earth because of the enormous wealth at his disposal and ironically his down to earth simplicity. Buffet’s simplicity is a child’s play compared to Umars’. Upon conquering Jerusalem from the Romans, the patriarch offered the keys to the city provided that Umar himself came up to collect them. When Umar got the message he set out north to Jerusalem. Knowing how kings and emperors were in those days, the people the Jerusalem came out of the city to have a glimpse of the arrival of the over-hyped emperor of the Islamic Empire, people were standing on the roof of their houses. But the great ruler travelled to Jerusalem on one camel with a single attendant, taking turns with him for the ride. As he approached Jerusalem, it so happened the attendant was on the camel and Umar was walking alongside. The people of Jerusalem on the other hand, who were expecting an entourage with an army of security guards dressed in expensive jewelries were shocked to see two people, ruggedly dressed, weary from travel approaching them. They offered abeyance to the rider of the camel and assumed the man on foot with his patched clothes was the servant.
Such was the simplicity of Umar. He, many times will come back from his farm and find dignitaries waiting for him at home to discourse state issues and will do that with his feet soaked with mud and farm equipments in his hand. Up until his death he was still a poor petty trader and local farmer.
People visiting Madina would want to see the palace of the Caliph, but will surprisingly find out that he lived in a typical house just like anybody else. Theirs was the kingdom of the heavens and not the Earths. They held the key to the treasures of the earth but only as a divine trust as servants of the Lord.
Umar ibn al Khattab (r) laid the foundation of Islamic civilization. He was the historical figure who institutionalized Islam and determined the manner in which Muslims would relate to each other and to non-Muslims.  Ironically, this man of justice was assassinated for a verdict he had given in a civil case brought before him. One of the Companions, Mugheera bin Sho’ba, rented a house to a Persian carpenter named Abu Lulu Feroze. The rent was two dirhams a day, a sum Abu Lulu felt was too high. He complained to the Caliph Umar (r) who gathered all the facts, listened to both sides and gave the judgment that the rent was fair. This seemingly minor incident caused one of the biggest upheavals in Islamic history. Abu Lulu was so distraught at the verdict that he resolved to take the life of the Caliph. The next morning, as Umar (r) appeared at the mosque to lead the prayer, Abu Lulu hid in a corner, his double-edged sword concealed under his long robes. As the Caliph stood at the head of the congregation reciting the Qur’an, Abu Lulu jumped at him and thrust his double-edged sword into the Caliph’s stomach. The internal bleeding could not be stopped and Umar (r), the citadel of the community of believers, passed away the following day. The year was 645.


By Mohammed Saleh
culled from:
www.wikipedia.org;
www.sahaba.net
The beggining and the end by Ibn kathir
Omar al khattab by Dr Nazeem Ahmed
www.historyofislam.com

Sergent Rogers's confession against Major Al mustapha at Oputa Panel over ten years ago.

Below is an abridged version of the statements of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Sergeant Barnabas Jabila aka Rogers before the Special Investigation Panel, SIP as published by TELL in edition No 48, November 27, 2000. Excerpts:

SIP: Major Al-Mustapha, what was your role in the series of assassinations carried out in this country as at that time? We think the Kudirat’s own came first.
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: Tell us, what you know about it.
Al-Mustapha: The little I know about it was reported. She was assassinated sir.
SIP: By?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know, sir.
SIP: How did you feel when you heard of the news?
Al-Mustapha: I really felt bad sir.
SIP: You felt bad?
Al-Mustapha: Yes, sir.
SIP: Why?
Al-Mustapha: Why? Because of my personal relationship with late M.K.O. Abiola
Encounters with Abiola
SIP: What was it?
Al-Mustapha: I knew him long ago. And even while he was here in Abuja. When he was in custody, I was always going to him and there were a lot of discussions I had with him. Much, much earlier, I had a very long-standing relationship with him. And that was why I fought it on my own. Even on quarterly basis, sometimes, I do take loan, I gave as much as N800,000 to the commissioner of police in Abuja for his upkeep. And every time, I went to section, and he was in need of things, I do buy personally with my money for him because of the relationship I had with him. I used to tell him never to mention my name in anything. But yet, there were some of his notes from what I read in the papers, even when the late head of state was still alive, that actually he wrote, that has to do with me, thanking me for what I did for him. But to me, I saw him as a father. The late head of state introduced him to me, it was actually one time when he came for breaking of the fast, to eat in his house. He introduced him to me as a father. And I said, “But why do you have to fight now? Why don’t you sit down and reconcile and agree?” He would always tell me. “Yes,” he agreed. But (the next day) when he came out, he would say “no,” he would not agree. So. I kept convincing him in that direction. I actually played a role in trying to make sure that they agreed between themselves. So, that is all sir.
SIP: Now when Kudirat was killed?
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: Who were the officers you sent to monitor, to cover the burial?
Al-Mustapha: Er… I heard reports sir.
SIP: But you sent officers?
Al-Mustapha: I didn’t send anybody.
SIP: You said you can’t recall if you sent anyone there?
Al-Mustapha: No, you said, “Who were the officers sent for the burial?” No I didn’t send anybody.
SIP: Do you have any documentation, blueprint on the burial, photographs etc?
Al-Mustapha: No. I don’t think I have it sir. Apart from the one I watched on NTA. I don’t think I have anything sir.
SIP: Did you send anybody?
Al-Mustapha: No sir.
SIP: Okay, who is Abraham Adesanya?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know sir. I don’t know much sir.
SIP: You don’t know much?
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: How would you feel if people were brought in here to say, “Look, you sent us to so, so and so place sir, on so, so, so and so assignment?”
Al-Mustapha: They say that sir, but I know, then I would remember if I sent them I would then say I sent them sir.
SIP: Why do you think they can say you said so?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know.
SIP: Of course …
Al-Mustapha: You are talking about my personal instructions.
SIP: We mean if the people say you sent them for the assignments?
Al-Mustapha: If they come in and say, I sent them sir, it will prick my conscience, I know I have not sent them. Let them prove to me (that) I sent them. I did not send anybody.
SIP: (To Rogers) Who is this man?
Rogers: He is Major Al-Mustapha. He was the former CSO to the former head of state, General Sani Abacha.
SIP: Were there times he sent you out on assignments outside Abuja?
Rogers: Yes sir. He sent me. RUTAM House sir. I remember; to burn down RUTAM House. He sent us with OC MOPOL to go and burn down RUTAM House.  Then he sent us for …
Al-Mustapha: (Cuts in) I didn’t send you.
Rogers: You sent us.
Al-Mustapha: No, I didn’t.
Rogers: You sent me. You sent us to RUTAM House, assassination of Alex Ibru, Kudirat Abiola, Segun Osoba, Bola Ige, Abraham Adesanya. You sent us on these assignments.
Al-Mustapha: I didn’t send you on all these assignments.
Rogers: You sent me.
SIP: (Cuts in. To Al-Mustapha) No, don’t argue with him. Don’t respond. You will have to ask him questions. But let him say what he wants, you just listen.
Al-Mustapha: Okay.
SIP: (To Rogers) Go on.
Rogers: What I want to tell you is that we should not deny it here again. Because you told me that we should deny it. You said we should deny it that you have already settled with the police, you’ve settled with the chief judge, you understand; you told me so. Yes. You sent Aminu Mohammed to come and call me in my house. I came and met you. The two mobile policemen on duty. You can find out, the two mobile policemen on duty that day, you told them that I should wait in the small guardroom. I waited there. You came and met me, you said I should come out. I came out, you said that you had already talked with the chief judge, you’d settled everything, you’d seen all the lawyers, you said we should deny everything. You said, Rewane and Yar’Adua, you said you had run concrete cover for them. The remaining, Alex Ibru and Kudirat Abiola, that we should deny.
Al-Mustapha: (Cuts in) I told you this?
Rogers: I believe you should be bold enough to come out and say the truth. Why denying it? I believe you should be bold. Because you’ve been telling us that you are going to protect us, we should not worry. You should be bold enough to come out. And you are a major!
SIP: (Cuts in) Let’s go about it this way. Since the beginning of this incident, what were his involvement? What happened? Who told you? How it was done and how you reported back to him on each of these incidents. Just count them. When you were working for him, did you have any grudge at all for any reason?
Rogers: No grudge. He is my boss. I don’t have any grudge. Anything he sends me, I do it.
SIP: Did he treat you well?
Rogers: He treated me well, very well. He gives me welfare (money), even the last money he gave me was $1,000, when I was working in Jos prison, my mother was sick.  I came down from Jos prison to come and see you while you were about entering one Mercedes Benz, a new Mercedes bus. You were wearing safari. You called me, you gave me $1,000. You said I should go back to work. I changed it to N85,000.
SIP: (To Al-Mustapha) True or false?
Al-Mustapha: True, I gave him that money.
SIP: Okay. (To Rogers) Did he send you on any course?
Rogers: Yes, he sent me to a course in North Korea.
SIP: So you have no reason to lie?
Rogers: I have no reason! And even one time, he was going to Libya, I could remember, he said I should follow him. I followed him to Libya and he gave me extra $300.
SIP: What did you go for?
Rogers: We went for the graduation of some BGS (bodyguards) like that, who graduated from a course.
SIP: (To Al-Mustapha) Is that true?
Al-Mustapha: So, I took a team to Libya and then graduated another team. That’s apart …

The Attack on Ibru
SIP: (To Rogers) Please, tell us some of the agenda on Ibru. The plan on the assassination of Ibru and the burning down of RUTAM House.
Rogers: The first one was RUTAM House. He and OC MOPOL, Lawal. They called me on air, then I came. I mean I reached the office, Lawal joined us, then Sani, Samaila, Shaibu and Lawal. You sent us. You briefed us that RUTAM House has to be burnt down. You said so. So you told us that we should make sure that it was burnt down. We moved from Abuja, (I), Lawal and the other two chaps, Samaila and Lani Garba, to Lagos. On reaching Lagos, we were received by Major Ado. At the airport, he sent a vehicle to come and pick us. From there we moved to Dodan Barracks. On reaching Dodan Barracks, Oga Lawal said we should proceed for raid. We went there, we checked. Later on, we went to James Dambaba. In the night, when we reached there to burn the house, there was a police team just by the RUTAM House, so we had to go and meet James Dambaba. Dambaba now called the police on the radio that they should move to Oshodi, the there was a robbery at Oshodi. Then when they moved, we came and we put petrol and fire. Er … Superintendent Lawal lighted the matches. So we burnt half. We went back to  Dodan Barracks. After about one, two days, we came back to Abuja. You were not happy. You said why didn’t we make sure that it was burnt properly because “was there nothing like fuel dump inside?” We said. “There was” and you said, why didn’t we burnt it properly? You said we should  get ready to go back. This time around, it was for  Alex Ibru and that we should  make sure he was assassinated. So, we went to meet James Danbaba. So, we went back and when we reached Lagos, you gave money. N25,000, to Superintendent Lawal to give to James Dambaba. We went, we gave it to James Danbaba. And  when we went, we told him that “this is the situation” so he  now told us that we should not use our arms so that it would not be traced back to us. He said there were arms that they seized from armed robbers and ECOMOG soldiers, which were still with them. Then we came, he said we should come and meet the former military administrator of Zamfara State, Colonel Jubril Yakubu. I came and the others. We met him. When we met him, he gave us the two rifles, AK47 with 30 rounds of two magazines each. So, from there, we proceeded to our office, the CSO’s guest house. That was where we were kept, right behind Dodan Barracks. He took us round right there. We shared the two rifles, one to OC MOPOL, one to my car, the one I was in. Then from there, we moved back  to Federal Palace Hotel to check for Alex Ibru. We couldn’t find him. We moved to his house to look for him. The house that they took us to. They said he was not there, that it was for his brother, Felix Ibru. Then we had to come back to Federal Palace where we found out from those people that were selling souvenirs there, we asked them, “Is Alex Ibru in?”, then the people said, “Yes, he is  in.” (I) and Lawal now moved, and as we were moving towards there, he was coming out. Then we came back and entered the vehicle, (I) and Lawal. Then we moved, we pursued, then Lawal said, I should, when we were approaching, my vehicle should move forward, then he would move from the back to give me cover-up. Right from there in front, I opened (fire), when we came closer to the bridge, he was going down to Bourdillon. Then we went straight to  Ikoyi Hotel. He said now …, immediately we reached there, I should open fire. Then I opened fire from the front, he was opening fire from the rear. That is how it happened . Then immediately we turned under the bridge, we went back to  Dodan Barracks. Then you were informed that this is what happened by Lawal, the O.C MOPOL. That is about Alex Ibru. Now, about the case of …
SIP: How did he react?
Rogers: He was not happy. He said why didn’t we trail him properly?
Al-Mustapha: (Cuts in) I didn’t …
Rogers: (Cuts in sharply) You said so! You were not happy. Even during IBB, you said you are the people that kept them. You helped them to keep them in all these types of assignments, 1,2,1,2. Then Aminu Mohammed, he told me that “this man doesn’t know what is happening in Lagos. Why should he say we should do 1,2,1,2 and  come back with all these Operation Sweep (forces) and other  things.” I said, “don’t worry.” The Kudirat one. There was Alhaji Lateef (Shofolahan), one of your informants. Early  in the  morning, on the  4th, I moved with Katako to Alhaji Lateef to go and get information about the woman, where she would be going. Immediately we reached there, she came out of the house, out of Abiola Crescent. Then we followed, we trailed her to Allen Avenue to the roundabout. She dropped a lady and again proceeded to Alausa police station. On reaching there, (Alausa), we trailed her close to the express, we opened fire on her. Immediately we opened fire on her, I told Katako to move immediately. He moved immediately and we went to Dodan Barracks, and immediately I tried to get you on phone. But unfortunately, I couldn’t get you. Then I called O.C Lawal. He now phoned, he told me that he had gotten to you. Then later they connected me to you, I told you. “Yes sir, we have gotten the woman.” You said, “Well done, congratulations! Lie low. Send one of you to come down and collect some money.”
Al-Mustapha: I told you so?
Rogers: You told me. I sent somebody to go and collect money. Don’t hide anything sir. You told us that we should deny it but this time around, there is nothing like denial. I want to tell you the truth.
Al-Mustapha: Did I tell you to…?
Rogers: Yes! You told me. You told me. That is the one for Kudirat. Then the Abraham Adesanya’s case. In Adesanya’s case, myself …
SIP: (Cuts in) Just hold on. Where did he source those weapons you used for Kudirat?
Rogers: He gave me from his office. The weapon was right there. He said. “Bring that bag”. I brought it and he said “Open it.” When I opened it, there were two Uzzis, specially made with fixed silencers and some ammunition inside. Luga, Luga 9mm. You now said I should bring out the Uzzi. “Have you ever seen this gun?” I said, “No sir.” I removed the magazines, uncorked it and checked it and then I dropped it.
SIP: Was anyone there with you in that office?
Rogers: Yes, there was Alhaji Mohammed.
SIP: Mohammed what?
Rogers: Mohammed Abacha
Al-Mustapha: He was in the office with me there?
Rogers: Yes, he was in the office when I came.
SIP: So, where did you usually stay in Lagos when…?
Rogers: We (stayed) in CSO’s guest house, his guest house.
SIP: How do you gain entry to that guest house?
Rogers: Through Major Ado. Immediately we reached there, Major Ado would be the one to accommodate us.
SIP: How did you reach Abuja from Lagos on these assignments, by road or by air?
Rogers: By air. He used to give us aircraft.
The Assassination Attempt on Adesanya
SIP: Now, about Abraham Adesanya’s case …
Rogers: Adesanya’s case, we moved from here by air, myself …
SIP: Did he brief you?
Rogers: He briefed us. He called me to his office. I went to his office. He said Abraham Adesanya, Segun Osoba, Bola Ige. Those were our targets. So when we came here now, we look, look, look, then we got your informant. Alhaji Lateef, the one who gave us Kudirat’s… so, Alhaji Lateef took us to Adesanya’s house. When we got there, he was not around, and he took us to his office at Igbosere. At his office … that was the second coming. The first coming was with OC MOPOL. The second coming was with Aminu Mohammed and others. He was the one driving. Two of us were in the back seat. So on reaching Adesanya’s office, he was coming out from his office, he wanted to go out. Then we trailed him, we followed him. On reaching the junction which was linking Obalende, we started opening fire on him, (I) and Aminu, you know, firing at his car, directly, but the shots couldn’t get him. Then we came back and told you that it was unfortunate. You said, “Why is it so?”

SIP: Where did you source the weapon for the Adesanya assignment?
Rogers: My personal weapon, Uzzi. He said we use AK47 in Kudirat’s case. No in Kudirat’s case, we used Uzzi. In Ibru’s case we used AK 47. He said, I should go with my weapon.
SIP: Al-Mustapha, did you ever expect this kind of evidence against you?
Al-Mustapha: First of all, I didn’t send him.
SIP: Answer the question?
Al-Mustapha: No, I didn’t.
SIP: But you were the one giving them directives, assignments, briefings, telling them exactly what they should do and this was exactly what he had executed?
Al-Mustapha: Not according to my instructions.
SIP: Would he have any reason to lie against you? Why would he want to tell lies against you?
Al-Mustapha: I wouldn’t know, but …
SIP:  There’s going to be a reason. Why would he want to lie against you when you were so nice to him?
Al-Mustapha: Exactly!
SIP: You’ve known Rogers for some time.
Al-Mustapha: Yes.
SIP: Presumably, he’s one of your trusted …
Al-Mustapha: Whatever …
SIP: He was not special in any way to you.
Al-Mustapha: He’s just like the rest. One thing, I used to say to all of them is what he can testify … may I use the word family?
SIP: Has he been in anyway different from how he used to do when you were in the villa?
Al-Mustapha: To me he is not normal.
SIP: Why do you think he is not normal?
Al-Mustapha: Because, I expect him to say this has happened, this has happened, but now, he is playing everything backward to me.
Al-Mustapha: This, to me, is very, very shocking and …
Rogers: Don’t be too surprised.
Al-Mustapha: I am responding to what you said.
Rogers: I want you to be bold enough again to respond proper …
Al-Mustapha: A gentleman should respond to what he does, a gentleman should not respond to what is a lie. I am responding and when did I tell you all this? First of all, I didn’t send them to RUTAM House. I didn’t send them to burn anybody’s property. This is certain sir.
SIP: Is that all?
Al-Mustapha: That’s all sir. I didn’t send them to burn RUTAM House.
SIP: There are so many others involved. He is not the only one involved now. There are so many other people who were in that group that are preparing now to testify in your presence. Not only him, if you are writing him off that there is something wrong with him …
Al-Mustapha: (Cuts in) No. I am not writing him off.
SIP: Then something is also wrong with the others.
Al-Mustapha: No. All I am saying is that I didn’t send anybody to burn RUTAM House.

SIP: So, why would he lie against you?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know sir. It’s left to him.
SIP: Does it mean that he lied against you?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know. I didn’t also assign them to shoot Alex Ibru. I did not. Please I repeat, I did not. I did not know how he will now say I briefed him to go and shoot Alex Ibru.
SIP: How about Segun Osoba?
Al-Mustapha: I did not send them to shoot him at all.

SIP: How did they come by that and the Uzzi?
Al-Mustapha: Let him come and testify. I did not give him my Uzzi to go and kill anybody. I did not. Let him come around and testify.
SIP: Ado is still very much, much alive
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir! Let him come. That me, I sent them, to go and kill Alex Ibru, I did not. I did not give them my arms to go and kill anybody. I did not.
SIP: But you can recall that RUTAM House got burnt.
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: Where did you get the information?
Al-Mustapha: I got to know later … It was first in the papers, number one, and secondly, I had to run a statement about it earlier before this sort of thing.
SIP: Did you also know that Kudirat was killed?
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: Where did you hear it?
Al-Mustapha: I heard it through the paper sir.
SIP: Alex Ibru was shot, how did you get the information?
Al-Mustapha: I heard it also through the news.

SIP: Within the period these things were happening, did you send out persons to Lagos concerning it?
Al-Mustapha: I can’t recall sir.
SIP: You must recall Al-Mustapha.
Al-Mustapha: (Cuts in) I am telling you what I know sir.
SIP: Tell us what other special assignments you sent people for in Lagos other than the monitoring of NADECO rallies.
Al-Mustapha: Really, I don’t think I sent anybody I can’t recall sending any.
SIP: Do you know Major Ado?
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir.
SIP: Where is he?
Al-Mustapha: Em … in Dodan Barracks sir.
SIP: Can you recall having had cause to ask Major Ado in Lagos to offer those sent on assignments any forms of assistance as regards the assignments?
Al-Mustapha: I can’t recall vividly sir, but Lawal would not send any note to the Presidency sir. He will first of all go to Ado sir.
SIP: What we are saying is that, can you recall asking him to give any form of assistance to persons sent on any of these assignments?
Al-Mustapha: I can’t recall vividly sir. Em. Abraham Adesanya, Wole Soyinka, Chief Alani Akinrinade, Dan Suleiman …
SIP: So what happened to all these people you named?
Al-Mustapha: I can’t recall, but I know they all had problems.
SIP: What type of problems?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know sir.
SIP: But you said they had problems
Al-Mustapha: They had problems with government at that time.
SIP: So what was to happen to them if they had problems with government and you were in government and you were the chief security adviser to the head of state?
Al-Mustapha: There is a need for me to cry in private sir. There was a time I was given a paper to make a comment. I was called CSO and the assumption of CSO for what I wrote was as if the entire security of this country was entirely in the hands of CSO. I want to make this correction sir. CSO is the chief security officer to the late head of state and members of his family. My duties were within the confines of the Presidency or wherever members of the head of state’s family goes. The other aspect of security is not mine. There are security advisers. There are agencies like NIA, DIS. Those are the ones that own the nation not me.
SIP: But you sent somebody to monitor the NADECO rally?
Al-Mustapha: No sir. Let’s look at it from this angle. My own is a small fraction. Like I said, the late head of state, no matter how much intelligence you put before him, once he decided on something, he would still do it.
SIP: Did it disturb you that NADECO activities were conflicting with government policies?
Al-Mustapha: Yes sir, we looked for peace, especially with the chair I occupied at that time. I knew if there was any crisis sir, there was no way I would survive it.
SIP: So how were you to take care of that? How were you to take care of these people who were a problem to government?
Al-Mustapha: No, that is out of my schedule.
SIP: But you sent someone to monitor the NADECO rally?
Al-Mustapha: The late head of state told me to send somebody to confirm that rally and I did. But the activities going on across the country, it was not my own.
SIP: Do you know Alhaji Lateef?
Al-Mustapha: I was asked and I said I didn’t know him. Probably, if I see him and I know him, I would tell you sir.
SIP: You don’t know Alhaji Lateef?
Al-Mustapha: I can’t recall sir.
SIP: Your informant?
Al-Mustapha: I don’t think so sir. It’s because too many people were bringing information.
SIP: Tell us who they were.
Al-Mustapha: So many people sir.
SIP: You don’t know them by name?
Al-Mustapha: You will discover sometime that there are too many people in the military sir.
SIP: You have said that you don’t know Mohammed Katako.
Al-Mustapha: I don’t know sir.
SIP: Do you know Rogers
Al-Mustapha: I know him sir.
SIP: How did you know him?
Al-Mustapha: He worked with me sir.
SIP: As what?
Al-Mustapha: As a member of the Strike Force, sir.
SIP: What were the duties of this Strike Force?
Al-Mustapha: Their own is er… immediate security of the Presidency.
SIP: You used to send him out on errand?
Al-Mustapha: No sir.
SIP: Outside Abuja.
Al-Mustapha: Maybe as a member of the team, maybe. I can’t recall vividly sir.
SIP: You said, as a member of the team, tell us, what team did you ever send out that Rogers was a member?
Al-Mustapha: There should be many of them. I’m telling you what I know with all respect sir.