How they killed Abiola – The testimony of Abiola’s security officer, Theodore Zadok, at the Oputa panel
Rabu, 12 Juni 2013
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Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), and from 1996 to 1998, he was the security officer in charge of both the security and welfare of MKO Abiola while in government custody.
Testifying that day, Zadok revealed how on the day Abiola died he was called away briefly and the first ever time he did not taste the food before it was served to Abiola, it turned out to be fatal.
He read from a prepared text, the excerpt of which is presented below:
“I was posted to head the detention base of Chief M. K. O. Abiola with about thirteen (13) body guards under me and since the day I took over the duties of the detention camp of Chief M. K. O. Abiola I was responsible for collecting the sum of N800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand Naira) quarterly from Major Hamza Al-Mustapha to the commissioner of police FCT command Abuja for his feeding. That is three times a day subject to what the wanted to eat. I also took care of his health by seeing the Doctor any time he complained of any illness. In view of this he never ate any food or drink any thing without me tasting it first before giving it to him to eat or drink.
“I always collected some money from the Chief Security Officer Major Hamza Al-Mustapha to buy toiletry fruit drinks, bedding and water.
“The Chief Security Officer Major hamza Al-Mustapha ordered me to give Chief MKO Abiola Koran and Bible for reading and I used to collect some money from the Chief Security Officer to buy some newspapers and magazines for the chief to read, and also give the chief some plain sheets for anything he might wish to write. My lord, Chief MKO Abiola never believed that I was a Security man who came to guide him but a son who came to take care of his father. I will like to support this statement with a written note written to me by Chief MKO Abiola.
“Before General Oladipo Diya’s coup attempt, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, on the 10th of December, 1997 ordered me to take Chief MKO Abiola to any safe place, preferably the commissioner of police guest house at Wuse. And after the said failed coup attempt Major hamza Al-Mustapha ordered me to move Chief MKO Abiola from the commissioner’s guest house to Kado Housing Estate popularly known as Jeremiah Useni Housing Estate Kado.
“On the 8th day of June 1998 the day the Head of State General Sani Abacha died the chief Security Officer Major Hamza Al-Mustapha ordered me along with Lt. Ikilama to move Chief MKO Abiola from Kado Housing Estate to Gado Nasko Barracks and from there all the 13 body guards attached to me were withdrawn except the driver and leaving the soldiers of the Guards Brigade to take over the guard.
“But I was still left behind to be bringing food to Chief MKO Abiola as usual from the police officers mess Wuse Zone 7. Chief MKO Abiola was informed of the death of General Sani Abacha and the appointment of General Abdulsalami Abubakar as the Head of State and Commander-in-Chief. He wrote letters to General Abdulsalami Abubakar and the service Chiefs gave them to me to photostat them for him. He gave me some copies to give to Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and passed the rest to the rest to the respective owners. After the expiration of the second quarter allocation of N800,000 (Eight Hundred Thousand naira) I approached Major A. S. Aliyu Chief Security Officer to General Abdulsalami Abubakar to collect the money for the next quarter he only told me he had heard me.
“On the day in question, the 7th Day of July 1998 at about 11.30hrs, the Chief Security Officer to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Major A. S. Aliyu called me on the radio set, asking me to see him his office. I then proceeded in his office and he instructed me to bring Chief MKO Abiola to Aguda House for an interview to be hold by 1300 hrs.
“I then went back to the base and informed Chief MKO Abiola of the interview and he asked me whether Major Hamza Al- Mustapha was aware of the said interview, I told him didn’t know because Major Hamza Al-Mustapha was busy handing and taking over but I would see if I could locate him to inform him.
“He asked me to bring his dresses which he would wear and also asked me to give him 30 minutes to enable him get dressed. At about 1230hrs the Chief Security Officer to general Abdulsalami Abubakar Major A. S. Aliyu came to the base. To the best of my knowledge, that was the first time he knew that place, wanting to know if we were ready and I replied him almost ready. As we opened the door the Chief was already waiting for us. Together we went out and headed to Aguda House, venue of the Interview.
“Before we all left the base, chief MKO Abiola was in sound and healthy condition. He did not complain to me of any illness. About 100 metres from the door stand of the Aguda House, the controller from the control room called me on the radio set and said, I quote, “30 BRAVO your LOG I answered ALFA GOLFF UNIFORM DELTA ALFA, HOTEL. And he said MAIG SERIA GOLFF from the OSCAR FOSTRO FOSTRO OF CHALIE OSCA GOLFF SERIA you should ROMEO PAPA TANGO to see the subject INDIA MIKE MIKE I answered RECEIVED.
“Meaning 2i/c Prescort your present location. I answered Aguda House and he gave the message from the office of the Chief of General Staff and that you should see the Chief of general Staff Admiral Mike Akhigbhe immediately please and I answered noted please.
“As we arrived at the Aguda House door step, I led Chief MKO Abiola inside the house and I took permission from the Chief Security Officer to General Abdulsalami Abubakar, Major A. S. Aliyu in whose custody I left Chief MKO Abiola.
“He asked me to use his vehicle, leaving my vehicle at the door step where it was packed. I then took his vehicle as entrusted and left to see the Chief of General Staff Admiral Mike Akhigbe at about 1310hrs and I came back from seeing Admiral Mike Akhigbe at about 1350hrs, only to discover that my vehicle was not there at the packing spot. On arrival, I saw one of my Body Guards Sunday Pada standing by the side of the door. I asked him where they had gone. He replied me they were inside and that the Chief Security Office only sent my vehicle to Aso-Clinic and as I was about to enter the room, I met with the Chief Security Officer, Major A. S. Aliyu who told me that Chief MKO Abiola was not feeling fine and after taking a cup of tea he coughed and feel down.
“I quickly went inside and I saw Chief MKO Abiola lying on the floor facing down. I called him. for the first time he answered, and I lifted him up and turned him upside and called him again for the second time he did not answer. At that time doctor Sadiq Sani Wali from Aso Clinic arrived and about examining the chief. I told him we should rush the Chief to the clinic for proper treatment. Myself, the Chief Security Officer, Major A. S. Aliyu, Doctor Sadiq Sani Wali and the two white men standing lifted Chief MKO Abiola into my vehicle outside for onward movement to Aso-clinic.
“Before getting to Aso-Clinic I saw Dr. Sadiq Sani Wali pressing his (Abiola’s) stomach up and down a kind of resuscitating him. As we arrived the clinic, Chief M.K.O. Abiola was rushed to the Emergency Room where I stood by with the doctors including the two white men and the Chief Security Officer Major Aliyu until when Dr. Sadiq Sani Wali later confirmed to us that Chief M.K.O Abiola was dead.
“We came out of the Emergency Room and the Chief Security Officer Major A. S. Aliyu phoned the villa, I heard him saying to the ADC please, connect me to the Head of State I have an important message for him. For about three minutes they continued the discussion with the Head of State while he was moving towards his vehicle outside. So I didn’t hear what he was discussing with the Head of State after the phone we both left for villa,
“The questions to ask are:
Who gave Chief M.K.O. Abiola tea in my absence?
Who tasted the tea before giving it to him?
And in whose presence was the tea tested?
“The questions are for the Chief Security Officer to General Abdulsalam Abubakar; Major Aliyu to answer. And I want to testify before this Honourable Commission that on the 6th day of July 1998 at about 2200hrs Kola Abiola the son to late Chief M.K.O. Abiola his step mother; and about three of his sisters were with their father at Aguda House until 0130hrs of 7th July, 1998. I want to say categorically here that his father Chief M.K.O. Abiola was in a sound and healthy condition.
“Based on the statement made to the Commission by Femi Falana on the 5th day of July 2001 that Chief M.K.O Abiola was driven from Kano State to Abuja where he said that the Chief fell inside the Black Maria four times before arriving Abuja is totally false, because to the best of my knowledge Chief M.K.O Abiola was never detained out of Abuja.
“On the 28th day of July 1998, I collected from the Commander Brigade of Guard Gado Nasko Barracks the late Chief M.K.O Abiola’s property and handed them over to Alhaji Babagana Kingibe on the 31st day of July, 1998 who ordered his orderly Sergeant Mustapha Gana to check, sign and collect the property from me and he Babagana Kingibe made a contact call to the family of Chief M.K.O. Abiola to come forward and collect the said property.”
After Zadok’s presentation, he was then cross examined by Mr. Femi Falana.
Falana: You said you were not retired, you were not posted and yet you have been on salaries. Since when have you been receiving salary without rendering services to this nation.
Zadok: Since August 1 1998 on the day the personal assistant the former Inspector General of Police Superintendent Udi informed me in the villa that two officers from force CID Lagos were in the villa and that I should submit their names at the gate for them to see my OC. I submitted their names. When they entered, they told us they were taking over from us, without any written letter. I did not know that Major Aliyu was aware of it. We were moved out of the villa without any document. Since August 1 1998 I have not worked in any police formation.
Falana: Were you close to Abiola in detention?
Zadok: Yes I was close to him.
Falana: What ailment did Abiola complained to your about?
Zadok: He complained of his high blood pressure.
Falana: You said on June 8 1998 your bodyguards were withdrawn and soldiers took over the protection of Abiola.
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: Did he write letters that you knew of while in detention?
Zadok: Yes, he wrote condolence letters to Mrs. Yar’Adua when General Yar’Adua died. Also when General Abacha died, he wrote condolence letter to Mrs. Abacha to be forwarded to General Abdulsalami Abubakar for vetting as he said two heads are better than one.
Falana: Do you know the contents of the letter?
Zadok: No, the letters were always sealed.
Falana: Is Major A.S. Aliyu still in the army?
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: Were you with him when Commonwealth Sec. Gen. Emeka Anyaoku held a meeting with him?
Zadok: Yes I was there. They all took photograph together.
Falana: Had this ever happened before?
Zadok: No, it never happened before during his detention.
Falana: the photograph was to let everybody know that he was hale and hearty.
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: Was it to your knowledge that a foreigner was allowed to give food or drink to a detainee in Nigeria?
Zadok: To the best of my knowledge no foreigner had ever done this. It was my duty to taste any food or drink before giving it to Abiola.
Falana: When Abiola was given tea to drink was the first time you never tasted anything given to Abiola to take?
Zadok: Yes it was the first time.
Falana: You normally tasted food or drink before you gave it to Abiola to prevent any harm done to your subject?
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: So, you were tricked to go and see Admiral Akhigbe?
Zadok: Maybe.
Falana: When you left Abiola with Major A.S. Aliyu, you were confident that you were leaving him in the care of a competent person.
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: After his death what happened to his property he left in detention?
Zadok: I have a copy of the list of his property. I handed over his property to Ambassador Baba Gana Kingigbe who immediately called Abiola’s family to inform them that Abiola’s property were with him and they should come for them.
Falana: US official Dickering later addressed a press conference to say Abiola died of national cause.
Zadok: Yes.
Falana: Brig-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo said the day Abacha died, Bamaiyi said Abiola must also be killed in a similar way to balance equation.
Zadok: Yes, I heard it.
Falana: Why he did you not inquire from Major Aliyu who gave tea to Abiola?
Zadok: Major Aliu was the overall security office in charge of Abiola’s detention. I did not have the gut to ask him who gave Abiola tea and whether it was tasted before giving it to him. Chief Abiola used to keep photocopies of his letters in his Bible and Koran. I did not have the time to go through them. But if the commission requests for them it will assist this commission greatly.
At the end of Zadok’s testimony, Mr. Falana requested the commission to order the IG to give full protection to Zadok.
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Judul: How they killed Abiola – The testimony of Abiola’s security officer, Theodore Zadok, at the Oputa panel
Ditulis oleh Unknown
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