Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan to join M.K.O & Kudirat soon | Read Sofolahan’s last interview

M.K.O Abiola, Kudirat summon Al-Mustapha & Sofolahan from the grave

By Samod Biobaku

Sixthsense34@yahoo.com

The death sentence passed on the duo of Hamza Almustapha & Lateef Shofolahanfor killing late M.K.O Abiola’s wife, Kudirat Abiola came as a shock to some and pleasant development to others.

A Lagos state high court earlier today (January 30, 2012) convicted and sentenced to death by hanging the duo of former chief security officer to late Head of State, Gen Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Mustapha and a former personal aide to slain Kudirat Abiola, Lateef Shofolahan.

The two men have been standing trial for over 10 years over their alleged complicity in the assassination of Alhaja Kudirat,wife of the late winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola. She was killed on the street of Lagos on June 4 1996.
Justice Mojisola Dada of the Lagos high court, Igbosere passed the death Verdict on Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan in a ruling that lasted for several hours today

Read Sofolahan’s interview with Nation newspaper

Abdullateef Sofolahan, the man described as an ex-aide to the wife of the late Chief M. K. O. Abiola, Kudirat, said yesterday that he did not know that she was shot dead on June 4, 1996. He only learnt she died in her car. He also denied ever working with any member of the Abiola family. 

His relation ship with the Abiola family, he said, went beyond serving as a Protocol Officer in the late Abiola’s campaign organisation in 1993.

Sofolahan spoke at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere at the resumption of his trial, with former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late General Sani Abacha, Hamza al-Mustapha, for alleged complicity in Kudirat’s murder

Sofolahan told the court how he worked for the transmutation agenda of the late Gen. Abacha while Abiola was in custody. He also said he later worked in 1998 with the campaign organisation set up by Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo.

He admitted working as a Protocol Officer in Hope 93, the campaign office of the late Abiola, who won the 1993 presidential election as the candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). 

Sofolahan said he only knew the late Kudirat from a distance when he was at Hope 93. He also denied any personal relationship with Abiola and he challenged anyone with contrary information to come forward with same

.He testified before Justice Mojisola Dada as his only witness in the case. Sofolahan was led in evidence by his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo and cross-examined by Lawal Pedro (SAN) for the prosecution. Then, the defence closed its case. 

The court adjourned till November 10 for parties to adopt their written addresses.

On whether he attended Kudirat’s funeral, Sofolahan said “no”, claiming that he could not attend because Ikeja, Lagos (where the deceased was buried) was taken over by “area boys” (street urchins).

 He denied any involvement in the conspiracy and murder of Kudirat.

Sofolahan said he was born in 1950. He claimed to have possessed a Teachers’ Training Certificate and taught briefly in Sokoto State before relocating to Lagos. But he could hardly utter a sentence in good English. 

The court room laughed intermittently as he spoke, misusing words, mispronunciating others and displaying inability to understand simple questions. He sometime deliberately sounded funny.

Sofolahan described himself as a beer dealer, who had been in the business since 1986, and was a major distributor of Nigerian Brewery Plc, Guinness and Coca-Cola products. He gave his residential address as 116 Ojuelegba Road, Lagos. 

Sofolahan told the court that after the Hope 93 Organisation was wound down in July 1993, he returned to his business. He said he traded under the name of September 10 Enterprises, with office at 12, Abeokuta Bus Stop, Itire Road, Lagos.

He told the court that he later joined the Obasanjo Campaign Organisation in 2008, following which he went with the former President to Aso Rock, Abuja, where he was arrested in 1999. He identified Bodunde and Otunba Fasawe as those with whom he worked in Aso Rock.

On how he knew the late Kudirat.

Sofolahan:”I know her during the campaign in 1993 at the Hope 93 office. It was not only her. The three of them always come there for campaign materials. That is, herself, Dr. Doyin Abiola and Alhaja Bisi (all wives of Abiola). They normally come for campaign materials and I will be called to give them out.

On his relationship with Kudirat.

“Honestly speaking my lord, after the closing of Hope 93, I never worked with the late Kudirat Abiola. And nobody in this world, not only in Nigeria, can confront me with the claim that I worked there. 

“It is propaganda. Some people will call me the driver to Alhaja Kudirat Abiola; some will call me her Personal Assistant in the newspapers. 

Members of my family have come to the prison to confront me with this information. I have never been her PA or her driver. And nobody from Abiola house can come and testify that I worked there.

“When I was arrested and taken before a panel headed by one AIG Ojomo in Abuja, I begged them to kindly invite somebody from Chief Abiola’s house to come and identify me or they should take me to the house and confirm if I ever worked there. But they never did.

Sofolahan said he was arrested on October 8, 1999. He recounted how he was allegedly tortured and compelled to adopt a statement written by members of the Special Investigation Panel (SIP) that investigated the case. He said all the proceedings at the panel were recorded on video.  He requested that the video recordings should be brought before the court.

He said he was arrested at the Presidential Villa in the afternoon and was initially accused of using the name of President Obasanjo to collect money from the Central Bank.

On the claim in his October 8, 1999 statement that he worked as Protocol Officer to the late Kudirat, he said: “My lord, when I was in Abuja before the SIP, I told them that I had never worked with Alhaja Kudirat Abiola as a Protocol Officer, PA, gardner or as a security officer. I challenged them to take me to his house in Lagos for his people to identify me. I have never worked there before. It is newspaper propaganda. 

On allegation that he received some strangers on behalf of the late Kudirat, Sofolahan said: “It is a lie. If they said I received a stranger and I am denying, let the stranger come forward to say I received him or her.”

On another claim that he received some strangers from Aso Rock while working for Kudirat, he replied: “I never received any stranger from Abuja on her behalf. That is a lie. I only worked with Hope 93 and that organisation was dissolved in July 1993. I did not work for her later.

On the allegation that he was introduced to al-Mustapaha in Abuja as an informant by one Alhaji Sarkin Sasa, Sofolahan said:

“My lord, I never knew anybody called Alhaji Sarkin Sasa. I told the other court (before which he stood trial over the shooting of the late Abraham Adesanaya) that the only Shasa that I know is the one along the toll gate on the Lagos-Ibadan road. That is the only Shasa that I know. I have never met any Sarkin Sasa.”

Sofolahan denied any relationship between him and al-Mustapha before their detention in Abuja. He told the court that he first saw al-Mustapha “openly” in 1998 during the two million man match in Abuja, where al-Mustapha, who wore native dress (agbada) sat among the dignitaries on the high table. He said he was among the delegates who attended from Lagos. He only saw al-Mustapha at a close range when they appeared before the SIP, Sofolahan said.

He said he attended the match as a youth leader from Ojuelegba, Lagos. He gave the names of other leaders of the delegation to include Alhaji Muniru Banire (from Lawanson) and Tajudeen Akanbi, whose home address he gave as 115, Ojuelegba Road. He said the members of the delegation from Ojuelegba-Surelere were about 116, adding that over 3000 attended from Lagos.

Sofolahan denied any relationship with Sergeant Barnabas Jabila (Rogers), saying he first met him at the SIP in Abuja. He also denied Rogers’ alleged claim that he (Sofolahan) acted as their informant.

He denied knowing Major Ardo, who allegedly claimed to have given him money in Abuja when he (Sofolahan) was introduced to him. 

Under cross-examination, Sofolahan insisted he saw the late Kudirat only when she visited the Hope 93 office to collect campaign materials. 

Confronted by Pedro that he did not tell the court all he knew in the case, Sofolahan held up the Kuran placed on the edge of the witness box and said: “My lord, I swear to Almighty God, I am telling the truth about all I knew about this case. And God alone knows that I am saying the truth. I don’t know anything. I have never worked in Abiola’s house.

Pedro: You also became aware in 1996 that Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, the wife of Chief M. K. O. Abiola, was murdered?

Sofolahan: I was aware. It was a national issue.

Pedro: And you know she was shot in her car?

Sofolahan: I don’t know.

Pedro: What do you know?

Sofolahan: I heard that Alhaja died. I did not know whether she was shot.

Pedro: Did you attend her burial ceremony? 

Sofolahan: I did not.

Pedro: But did you see the video tape of the burial ceremony?

Sofolahan: I did not see the video, but it was shown on the television.

Pedro: Why did you not attend?

Sofolahan: My lord, it was because area boys took over Ikeja that day.

Pedro: What about the rally in Abuja, the rally in support of Abacha?

Sofolahan: I was there. Those who attended were from all the 36 states.

Pedro: And that time, Chief Abiola was still in detention?

Sofolahan: I don’t know.

Pedro: You don’t know?

Sofolahan. Yes sir. I can’t recollect because it happened in 1998. It was long ago.

Pedro: I want you to be honest enough to admit that while the two million-man-match in March was on, Chief Abiola was still in detention.

Sofolahan: Yes sir.

Interview culled from The Nation