Reports this evening have it that the dreaded sect, Boko Haram, has taken a position on the death sentence passed on the Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, over the killing of Kudirat Abiola, the wife of late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola: carryout the judgement and we’ll widen the scope of our operations.
Boko Haram said once the death sentence is executed, it will extend its attack to judges and courts all over Nigeria.
The group’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa, was quoted to have said in a statement this evening: “Should the Nigerian government dare carry out the sentence announced earlier today on Major Hamza Almustapha (Rtd), the full scale attacks will be expanded from security agencies and agents to the judiciary, from police stations to courts and so on. All chief justices, high court judges and appeal court judges should take note. The blood of Almustapha is the blood of Nigerian masses.”
A Lagos State High Court today sentenced Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan to death by hanging for involvement in the conspiracy to kill Kudirat on June 4, 1996.
A leader of the disbanded Strike Force, Barnabas Jabila, popularly known as Sergeant Rogers, confessed to carrying out the shooting of Kudirat based on a plot that was hatched with the knowledge of Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan.
Also reacting the death sentence, Leader of the Niger Delta Volunteer Force, Mujahid Asari-Dokubo, said Al-Mustapha must not be executed.
Asari-Dokubo insinuated that the decision to sentence Al-Mustapha to death at this period was meant to destabilise the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.
He said that during past administrations, those trying Al-Mustapha could not get a conviction, asking why it is now that Jonathan is in power that they were able to do so.
Writing on his wall on social media network, Facebook, Asari-Dokubo said: “This is a day of shame for us all….shame on you Nigeria….Almustapha and other innocent men will not die….they will live. Insha Allah…the treachery and conspiracy against Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan will fail. When your man Obj (former President Olusegun Obasanjo) was there for eight years you did not get a conviction…Umar Musa Yar’Adua you did not get a conviction….Shame on you…your conspiracy will fail.”