We relieve the last moments of the late Chief M.K.O. Abiola
publicly by the man who should know: Assistant Superintendent of Police
(ASP) Theodore Bethnel Zadok, who for the two years before the chief’s
death was in charge of his living and imprisonation in government
custody.
Zadok in his evidence-in-chief at the hearing of the petition by
Abiola’s first son, Kola and physician, Dr. Ore Falomo, related how he
was apparently handed away from Chief Abiola, and by the time he
returned to him, he had been offered tea, only to be dead a few minutes
thereafter.
Reading from a prepared text, the police officer said:
"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 he 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 drank 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
toiletries, 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 guard 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 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 in his office. I then proceeded to his office and
he instructed me to bring Chief MKO Abiola to Aguda House for an
interview to be held 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 GOLF UNIFORM DELTA ALFA, HOTEL. And he
said MAIG SYRIA GOLF from the OSCAR FOXTROT FOXTROT OF CHARLIE OSCAR
GOLF SYRIA 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 parked. 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 parking 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 Officer 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 call, we both left
for the 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 tasted?
"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
Guards, 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
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