The clamour for the release of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, along with other detainees, is gradually gathering momentum in the north. Youths have staged peaceful demonstrations in some parts of the north calling for their release.
Recently, thousands of youths in Kano State staged peaceful demonstrations asking for the release of Al-Mustapha and others. Some prominent politicians in the north are worried that the protests might be hijacked by hoodlums to wreak havoc on innocent citizens.
One of such people is Senator Kabiru Gaya, former governor of Kano State. He has drawn the attention of President Goodluck Jonathan to the potential security threat in ignoring the pro Al-Mustapha peaceful demonstration that took place in Kano. In an interview, Gaya, who is currently the deputy minority whip in the Senate, said that Al-Mustapha’s case is one of the litmus tests for Jonathan to prove to Nigerians that he is not being teleguided by former president Olusegun Obasanjo. He emphasized that if Jonathan is not dancing to Obasanjo’s tune, he should not carry on with the senseless and unjust personal vendetta. He maintained that Jonathan must order the release of Al-Mustapha immediately to avert further violent demonstrations. He was of the view that if Al-Mustapha and others are condemned to rot away in prison, then the cases of Ganiyu Adams and Federick Fasheun of the O’odua Peoples Congress, OPC must be revisited like Al-Mustapha for justice to take to its full course.
In a similar reaction, Abdullahi Tijjani Gwarzo, the Kano State acting governor, has joined numerous Nigerians for the clamour for the immediate release of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha. Mr. Gwarzo, spoke recently when hundreds of youths matched to his office to ask the Kano State government to intervene on the issue. He lamented that the continued detention of Al-Mustapha negates the rule of law and fundamental human rights for the citizenry as enshrined in the constitution. He urged the appropriate authorities to tamper justice with mercy, saying that Al Mustapha’s predicament deserves sympathy because the case has been dragging on for 12 years without resolution. His words, “I sympathize with Major Al-Mustapha because anybody that is conscious of the need to ensure fairness, due process and protect human rights would not be happy over what is happening to our son. It is a pity he is still under locks and key for 12 years. We would continue to pray for his release even as we are going to plead for his release”, he stated.
Human rights activists and lawyers say the agitation for the release of Al-Mustapha by some notable politicians, especially now that the 2011 general elections is around the corner, is just to gain cheap popularity and undue attention. They were of the opinion that Al-Mustapha’s lawyers should have asked for accelerated hearing on the case instead of the clamour on the pages of newspapers.
A lawyer, Victor Agbara, said it is only appropriate that the law is allow to take its course irrespective of the number of years the accused have been in prison custody, noting that due process has to be followed. His words, “it is immaterial how long it takes. So if it is dragging on for too long, then they should hasten it up but you cannot say they should be released because they have been in custody for a long time. Due process should be followed”, he stressed. He observed that since the election is fast approaching, people are out there to make a name for them and one of the things they do is to play on public sentiments by looking for issues that are of public interest. Agbara noted that it is not the longest case in the court list, adding that it is just a popular case. He stated that there are other court cases that might have taken longer than that depending on the parties and the will of justice. He disclosed that Al-Mustapha’s lawyers have something to hide, if not, they should have asked for accelerated hearing on the matter. He believes that democracy should encourage due process and Al-Mustapha’s lawyers know what to do to get accelerated hearing.
Yushau Shuaib, a political activist, called on the federal government to extend judicial magnanimity to Al-Mustapha and other detainees as was done to Ganiyu Adams and Frederick Fasehun of the OPC in the South-West, Asari Dokubo and Ateke Tom of militant Niger Delta groups in south-south and now Ralph Uwazuruike of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB in the south-eastern Nigeria. He pointed out that the only political detainees yet to be released after more than 8 years in cells are the security officers who served under Abaca’s regime and mostly from the northern Nigeria.
Investigations, however, revealed that northerners are not satisfied with the incarceration of their kith and kin. According to them, they believe in the total obedience to the rule of law but said a situation where the law has preferential disposition to some suspects on the basis of pressure from their people, it creates worrisome and agonizing feelings to others. They argued that the justification for the release of the militant ethnic leaders were for medical treatments and to mourn their families, most of the incarcerated security officers too have developed serious ailments, injuries and lost their beloved ones and therefore deserved to be set free, stressing that what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander.
Following this renewed clamour for the release of Al-Mustapha along with his co-detainees, the pressure is now on the president to do something before the situation gets out of hand. Unconfirmed report has it that Al-Mustapha may breathe the air of freedom on October 1 this year, courtesy of a pardon by President Goodluck Jonathan. The release, if effected, will be part of plans by the president to worn himself into the hearts of people in the northern part of the country.
It is learnt that the President and Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola have already agreed on the plan, which is expected to cool tempers in the north, and reassure the global community that the 12-year-long trial of Al-Mustapha and some other former aides of the late general. An impeccable source also disclosed that a group of dignitaries is also working on getting the President to include former deputy national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Chief Olabode George, in the planned general freedom for people standing trial as well as some convicts. The planned release of Al-Mustapha is also expected to boost the chances of President Jonathan in securing the support of the north for his intention to contest for the office of the president next year.
