Falana To Drag Al-Mustapha To Court Over June 12

Femi Falana is ready to sue Al-Mustapha to court over late MKO Abiola.

Legal luminary,Femi Falana (SAN) has vowed to drag a former Chief Security Officer to Ex-Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha, to court for making inciting comments over the death of MKO Abiola and the June 12 incident, CityNews Nigeria reports.

CityNews Nigeria recalls that Al-Mustapha had in a television interview accused some leaders of the defunct National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) of going to the Presidential Villa, Abuja to collect millions of dollars, barely 24 hours after Abiola’s death.

He said, “If Abiola was alive, he would have been one of my witnesses which I know wouldn’t have happened, we should be looking at the larger issues. The question is why should Abiola be killed and why should they be angry that I’m asking these questions?

“Falana is making a mistake. General Abacha served in many formations in Yoruba land and he had many Yoruba friends, including traditional rulers. He served as General Officer Commanding, Ibadan. He served as Chief of Army Staff all in Lagos and the Chief of Defence Staff.

“And so for Falana to come to TV and be talking, many of them are just keeping quiet for him. The question is; who is paying Falana to do this? The late MKO Abiola was killed on July 8. Money was shared, withdrawn from the Central Bank of Nigeria on the 9th. Money was brought in dollars, pounds and naira.”

Reacting, Falana, a renowned human rights lawyer, accused Abacha’s former CSO of peddling lies.

He stated that Al-Mustapha never said this during his trial where he (Falana) cross-examined him over the death of Abiola and his wife, Kudirat.

“I am taking him to court. I represented the Abiola family, Ransome-Kuti family and many other victims of human rights abuse under successive military regimes,” Falana said.

“I cross-examined this guy (Al-Mustapha) over the killing of M.K.O. and his wife. He never linked me with this rubbish.

“I wrote a petition and gave evidence over the abuse meted out to me. When Al-Mustapha accused Chief (Bola) Ige and Chief (Ayo) Adesanya of collecting bribe after the killing of Abiola, I asked the public to disregard his tissue of lies.

“When he was discharged and acquitted by the Court of Appeal, I criticised the judgment. He has suddenly woken up to link me with collecting bribe as a NADECO member. You know I was never in NADECO.”