By Chukwuma Nwakanma

Alhaji Yerima Shetima Usman, the President of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF) in this interview affirms the claims of erstwhile Chief Security Officer, Major Al Mustapha that Southwest leaders were compromised to douse tension over the death of Chief MKO Abiola, divorces the northern political leadership from the spate of violence linked to the Boko Haram as he affirms that the north and Islam are inclined to peace.
Excerpts:

What are your views on Major Al Mustapha’s allegations that some Yoruba elders, compromised the June 12 struggle by taking bribe to compromise the mandate of Chief MKO Abiola during General Abubarkar’s regime?

Yes we all know that some people compromised. Some of them were total sellouts in the June 12 struggle. Some are alive today while some are not. Truth is that some of them then were made ministers, while some recommended their children instead. I don’t want to mention names, but the truth of the matter is they compromised. So Mustapha’s revelation is not far from the truth, because it must be told. So rather than attacking and antagonizing Mustapha by confusing people with all types of threat trying to blackmail him by making all sorts of comment, people should answer issues raised.

They should respond and tell Nigerians what exactly happened to the June 12 struggle because something happened. Because this is not the type of democracy we envisaged when we faced the military, simply because people have compromised. That is why things are like this today in Nigeria especially  with the Constitution given by the Military, by General Abdulsalam Abubakar. Mustapha was in court to defend himself, I expect he will expose more of them.

Characters who compromised

On the issue of Mustapha’s allegation, we know and are aware of some of those characters who compromised, though I am not in a good position to name them. I believe Mustapha is in a better position to name them and he is going to do that, just watch out.
We can not continue to be watching some people hiding under the cloak of pro-democracy to make noise but in all ramification they compromised against the wishes of Nigerians and betrayed them.  Most of them will only talk and make noise when it is an issue that concern them. In short they should be exposed.

Apart from Late Chief Bola Ige and Chief Abraham Adesanya named by Mustapha, do you think there are some other people involved in Mustapha’s allegation?

Yes I believe there are some other people involved, he will continue to name them. Today we talk of Zik, Balewa and Awolowo even Abiola are they not dead? They made history.

Truth must be told, let people not use mere propaganda to divert an important issue like those raised by Al Mustapha..

I am surprised that somebody like Ribadu will talk in this issue.

Let people respond to issues raised. Allegations were made, they should not use blackmail and threat on Mustapha to divert the attentions of Nigerians to the facts on the ground.

*Shettima

Mustapha has been in prison for 13 years with his secret with him, that is why he is there. He said he did not kill Kudirat Abiola, he did not instruct or order anyone to kill Kudidat Abiola.  He is there because the fear of the information he has, they have been giving people false information and negative perceptions of the whole story against Mustapha and he has been in prison for 13 years with his secret with him, that is why he is there.

Even the prime witness has come out to say the whole thing was master minded against Al Mustapha, that he was monetarily induced to testify against him with a lot of promises. So what else can be said about the case, which means they want to kill him? But if they kill him the entire North will react to that. As I am speaking here I know what I am saying. I want to give this warning that nothing should happen to Mustapha. Maximum security must be given to him and nothing must happen to him.

Why did it take Al Mustapha so long to make these statements, don’t you think it is a way to divert attention, or to raise sympathy?
I don’t think so. Mustapha has been in detention for almost 13 years, without trial, this is because some elements in this country did not want the guy to come out to open up certain things. They want him dead because they see him as a threat to their secrets. He has been keeping these to himself but because of fear of his life he has to open up now. Though some people are aware of the information.

So all this talk on why has he been keeping the information till now should not arise because we all know that information like these only come out one day. Mustapha was being kept out of circulation by those who see him as a risk to their secrets. They should defend themselves instead of making  all type of noise and trying to blackmail Mustapha.

But there is this speculation that some Northern leaders are financing the violence to frustrate the government of President Jonathan?

No, I don’t believe that, I don’t agree with that. You see, no responsible Northern leader can do such thing or get involved in any dastardly act such as this. If it was during the time of former President Obasanjo one may think towards that direction because he may have some political enemies. But President Jonathan is seen as a democrat, he does not witch-hunt people. I believe people are comfortable with him and his government, quite unlike Obasanjo.

Then you can’t organize any opposition against Obasanjo because he can use one way or the other to get even with you, either through EFCC or any other way to pursue them. So this present scenario is a different case I don’t agree with that. I don’t even want to think towards that direction that somebody or any Northern elder is behind the bombs. I am telling you with confidence I don’t believe any responsible northern elder will be comfortable with what is happening over there in the north because that act is giving them a lot of concern and problems.

I was in the north the other day so many of them are not comfortable with the whole situation; they are jittery over it. A lot of them are having sleepless night because of it. That is why I can’t and I don’t want to believe that the financing is being done by any Northern elder
We have to remove that insinuation from our minds because once people begin to think towards that direction that some northern elders are sponsoring that, some bad people in government can or may now capitalize on it to clamp down on their perceived political enemies or opposition or those who oppose them in some of their actions.

So I don’t believe any responsible northerner can finance violence especially bomb blasts that kills innocent citizens. Okay let us assume a situation where some body from the south is sponsoring the bomb blast over there in the north to cause confusion. Can you then reconcile that, because that can still be possible?

What of the perception that the group is aiming to impose Islamic law on the whole North?

I don’t subscribe to that perception, and I don’t think it is correct, why should there be such idea. The fact of the matter is if there is any tribe in Nigeria or any region that has never believed in Nigeria or on the co-existence of this country it is not people from the northern part of the country. They have always believed in one Nigeria and have always been thinking in that direction.

Long time the North ruled

If I will have to cast my mind back to the long time the North ruled this country, for 38 years out of the first 50 years of independence, you will discover that the high rate of poverty, diseases, illiteracy were more predominant in the northern part of the country.

This is because of our attitude to please outsiders from the other part of the country and doing that solidarity to other Nigerians has been the mind of an average Hausa man and this has really affected us in the north and this is why we have so many problems in the northern part of the country.

So to a large extent it is easy to trace or arrive to a conclusion that the north do not believe in the disintegration of the country, some of us in the SNC and PRONACO agitating also believe that SNC and PRONACO cant break Nigeria, what we are saying we should have the peoples constitution. We all want to be together, that is the opinion of the northern people we have to stick together, so I don’t think any insinuation coming from anybody that the north want to disintegrate or want to be on their own using these methods of bombing and violence is correct.

Assuming you want to disintegrate should you target the bomb on to your part of the country or to our brothers and sisters or even destroying the economy of the region by creating insecurity and hostility?