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More details: Rice was the one who suggested Abiola take tea when he had asked for water. Rice served him the tea and, prior to that, was the only one taking tea. She was the one who suggested they call a doctor, so Abiola was not rushed immediately to a hospital, even though he was foaming at the mouth. She immediately insisted that no foul play was involved and asked to be the one to inform the family of the death.

Nigeria; Strange Confessions
Tempo
Africa News
September 29, 2001 Saturday

Major Mohammed Aliyu, former Chief Security Officer to Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), causes a stir at the Oputa Commission when he fingers Susan Rice, former American Undersecretary for African Affairs as the actual person that served the controversial tea to late M.K.O Abiola, reports AKINJIDE AKINTOLA It is no longer perplexing that late Chief MKO Abiola died after taking tea.

What is astounding is the series of claims pertaining to the circumstances surrounding the controversial tea.

However, fresh revelations have emerged concerning this and DSP Thadeus Zaddock, the man who kept an eagle eye on the late businessman, on 19 July testified at the ongoing public sitting of the Human Rights Violations Investigation commission Abuja. In this connection, he demanded that Major Abdul Rasheed Mohammed Aliyu, the then Chief Security Officer to the former head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, be summoned to appear before the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa led commission. This was precisely done. However, it had not been easy bringing Aliyu to testify, as he was on a course in the USA. The military authorities had to be written twice before he could be released and even when he was released to come for the last adjourned date, he could not make it as the terrorist attacks on two American cities foreclosed all attempts to appear on time. But rather than clear the air on how the late politician was murdered, Aliyu's testimonies opened a can of worms with fingers pointing at the US, with his revelations that it was Susan Rice, the former US Undersecretary for African Affairs who served the tea to the late Abiola, the last thing he took before he gave up the ghost. Tuesday's sitting had all the trappings of legal fireworks as witnessed the previous day when Senior Advocates of Nigeria at the Commission insisted that all invited former Heads of state be compelled to appear before the commission.

At 10:50 am when Oputa led other members of the commission into the Africa peace mission hall, he commended the brilliant performance put up by the lawyers which he said was witnessed all over the world. Then the stage was set for another legal fireworks as Oputa ordered that another case be called even though it was number two on the list while many others, including that of Lt. Gen. Oladipo Diya (rtd) which was number one and that of the Zagon Kataf people which was to be continued from Monday was set aside in spite of being handled by a SAN. It is the practice to take the case involving a SAN before any other case is handled. Uneasy quiet fell on the hall as major Aliyu, stepped into the witness box in a brown french suit looking fit . He was to look confused and troubled later as the cross examination started.

He was asked by his boss, the former Head of state to make arrangement for the late politician to meet with a delegation from America who wanted to meet him. He did this by getting in touch with SP Zaddock to get Abiola prepared for the visitors at the Aguda house. He also phoned Aguda house to get the stewards there prepared to receive the visitors.He later went to the place where Abiola was detained and together with Zaddock who was behind the wheels went to Aguda house. He confirmed Zaddock's testimony that, following a request by the then CGS he ordered that Zaddock should go and open the office for the new CGS while he went with Abiola to meet with the Americans who included Thomas Pickering, William Twaddell, then American ambassador to Nigeria and Susan Rice.

Former Commissioner of Police for FCT command, Mustapha Ismail, was also in attendance. According to Aliyu, they were all joking, Abiola told the delegation that when he was told about the meeting with the Americans, he hurriedly prepared, and that in the process, tooth paste got stuck in his throat. He told the commission that as they were joking, Abiola was coughing a little bit initially which informed his decision not to take the refreshment brought by the stewards-tea and coffee in separate flasks. He said as the cough was getting too much, Abiola requested for water but Rice advised him to take tea instead.Susan Rice was already taking tea while Pickering and Twadell took coffee.

Thus as the only woman in the delegation, and with the steward absent, it was Rice who served the tea to Abiola which few minutes later aggravated his cough. Later, Abiola removed his gown and went to the toilet and when he did not come out on time, he (Aliyu) went to bang on the door, asking if there was any problem. He said when Abiola came out, he was sweating and looking ill and asked for his cough syrup. According to Aliyu, when Abiola said he was feeling cold, they switched off all the air conditioners, when later he complained of being hot, they had to open all the windows. At this stage, Rice suggested that a doctor be sent for and he (Aliyu) called the Head of State's personal physician, Dr. Wali, on his phone and it took seven minutes 40 seconds before Dr. Wali came in. In the mean time, all of them were fanning Abiola who was laid on a chair, Abiola was being put in the car when Zaddock came in. At the hospital, he said the doctor did all they could to save Abiola's life but he died after one hour. According to him, the late Basorun died in their presence.

The Americans, according to him offered to break the news of the Chief's demise to Nigerians. Abiola's family who visited him a day earlier were contacted at Alhaji Babagana Kingibe's house and told to head for the villa. Abubakar was closing for the day and heading home when he met all the groups including the family of the late politician. Aliyu said that though the visiting Susan Rice offered to break the sad news to late Abiola's family,Gen.Abubakar diplomatically shoved her aside. Aliyu had a bad day during cross examination.

This made Oputa to describe him a daft fellow. Aliyu did not acquit himself very well when being cross-examined . Though he stated that he was in charge of Abiola, he could not say who prepared his food or which doctor took care of him, yet he insisted that it was not Zaddock's duty to taste Abiola's food. He also said that Zaddock did not taste anything taken by Abiola during the time he met with Kofi Annan or during Emeka Anyaoku's visit. He also accused Zaddock of gun running. Asked why he saddled that kind of a man with Abiola's security, he said he only knew this after the man had left.

In another dimension, counsel to Ibrahim Sabo, Sheitan,put it toAliyu that his American course was a compensation for his role in the Abiola murder. This he vehemently denied.He was also quizzed about the propriety of allowing a visitor, Susan Rice to serve tea to the late Abiola. He responded that it was because Rice was the only woman around. But it was not only on Abiola that Aliyu spoke. He also spoke of the controversial handover notes he received from Mustapha which he refused to sign on account of various inconsistences. He stated that he received N500 million from Mustapha instead of Abubakar as claimed by Mustapha.

The account into which this money was deposited has been frozen and could only be unfrozen by the president as it had been deposited by the CBN into the accounts of the national security adviser's recovery account. He confirmed receiving 45 houses from coup plotters, Security department guest houses, as well as 26 prototype houses at Guarinpa. He also spoke of 23 limousines he received which he reportedly handed over to the new president's CSO Kayode Oduneye. Other money he received and handed over included over one million dollars, another 50,000 pounds and N5million, all purportedly recovered from coup plotters. Before the case was adjourned till 3 October, Na'Allah, counsel to Mustapha, tendered a document which was accepted as exhibit 72. It was a daily SSS report which said the US government would continue with the democratic process in Nigeria with or without Abiola. Aliyu confirmed the report to be genuine from the SSS.
However, on Monday before Abiola's case was heard, the issue of non appearance of the former Heads of State at the panel topped the bill and was also adjourned to 3 October when they will know their fate.

The non-appearance of Aliyu earlier, has stalled the appearance of Abubakar which was believed would have laid the ground for his own appearance. Indeed many counsels insinuated that Aliyu must have been taught what to say not only by Abubakar but also by Aso Rock. This he flatly denied.

Nigeria; Commission Raises Questions On Abiola's Death
This Day
Africa News
October 5, 2001 Friday

The Chairman of the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (HRVIC), Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, yesterday raised some questions over the mysterious death of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election, Chief M.K.O Abiola, on July 7, 1998.

Kola, eldest son of late Abiola, had filed a petition before the commission alleging that his father was murdered in detention. Testifying before the commission in the petition, Maj. Abdulrashid Aliyu who was the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to immediate past Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar, had earlier said the tea served Abiola shortly before his death was not tasted.

Aliyu said that the tea was served by Ms. Susan Rice, the U.S. Under-Secretary of African Affairs when the late poltician was holding a meeting with an American delegation at the 'Presidential Villa'.

In his own testimony, former Chief of Army Staff, retired Lt.-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, also said that the tea served to Abiola at the meeting was not tasted, contrary to normal practice. At this point, Oputa asked Bamaiyi why the tea was served in a flask, adding "was there no cutlery, saucers and tea-pot at the Aguda House?, who demanded for the tea and was it tea time?"

Responding, Bamaiyi said that the questions should be directed to those who served the tea and added that during the meeting the tea was served with a tea-pot.

Former CSO to Gen. Sani Abacha, Maj. Hamza Al-Musatapha, was called to the witness-box by Oputa to give more evidence in the petition.

Al-Mustapha told the commission that the family of the deceased politician was given most of his belongings except the clothes he was wearing at the time of his death.

He stressed that Abiola was foaming in the mouth and that his clothes were stained before he died and queried: "Where were the clothes, who took them away?"

He faulted the decision of Aliyu to call a medical doctor to attend to Abiola in a place which was not a hospital, saying that he was supposed to be rushed to a hospital.

Al-Mustapha said that it was only when those questions were addressed by Abdulsalami that the commission could unravel the circumstances that led to the death of Abiola.

"When Abdulsalami came to power, we agreed that he was going to make a broadcast and release Chief Abiola, how come he did not make that broadcast until after the death of chief Abiola? In the intelligence system, it is common knowledge that once a personnel is in need of medical attention, he is rushed to a hospital no doctor was called, so why did they not rush him to the hospital, and instead, decided to call in a doctor? Why was he allowed to lie face down in pains and none of those present tried to help him?.

"Is the refusal of Abdulsalami Abubakar to see Abiola in detention due to anything? He did not have problem with Abiola, he was not the one who arrested and detained him so why was he always sending delegations to him instead of visit? Why was (ASP Theodore) Zaddock framed and kept in detention and later moved to Lagos? Why is he threatened? He was accused of allowing Nigeria police to go to Sierra Leone on operation? It is not true, they only said that of him and why did they not say so until after Abiola died? They are keeping all of us away because of what we know. What they did to Zaddock is to shut him up.

"The next is the question of who benefitted from the death of Chief Abiola. It was agreed that (former Naval Chief, Admiral Jubril) Ayinla was to be the CGS being senior to Akhigbe and from Ogun State, the same state with Chief Abiola and (Oladipo) Diya but that position was given to Akhigbe who we drove out from the meeting he came in to. We told him to go out that he was not needed in the meeting", he said.

He also insisted that he personally handed over money to Abdulsalami, adding that the testimony of Major Mohammed Aliyu was false, a reason he alleged, he refused to be on oath but chose to affirm, "so that he can say what he was told to say".

"I handed over straight to Abdulsalami Abubakar and we spent 3 hrs. 52 minutes that day handing over a lot of things to him. That's why I wanted him to come and say on oath by the Holy Koran that I did not hand over to him. His CSO was outside all the while I was handing over to him. If I had known that I would be given a chance to testify today, I would have come with more documents on that. I handed over $100 million, some pounds and other currencies as well as the money for the ecological funds that were used for coup in cash. Some were in accounts, cheques and other accounts", he insisted.

Asked if he was still insisting on handing over N500 million to Abdulsalami, he said he handed over much more than that. He also said that unless those who plot the change of government, its executors, the beneficiaries and contractor, Nigeria will never really come to grasp as to what happens in power changes in the country. He also recommended a book, Confessions of a CIA agent to the panel to read so as to grasp ways security agents can kill.

Under cross-examination by counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Femi Falana, earlier, Bamaiyi said that he was aware of the plans by Abacha to transmute himself to a civilian president and stressed that he was opposed to the idea and that his opposition caused his problems with some security chiefs.

He admitted that the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), was behind the spate of bombings and mysterious death of some citizens during the the regime of Abacha, and refused to accept responsibility for the atrocities.

"The DMI, during my time was, as far as I am concerned, under the Presidency rather than the Nigeria Army", he maintained.
Asked if he was not standing trial for the murder of Kudirat Abiola and attempted assassination of The Guardian Publisher, Chief Alex Ibru, he said he was not mentioned in the death of Kudirat and that he was not true that it was connected with the shooting of Ibru.
Bamaiyi denied that he ever had any plans to kill Abiola, adding that he did not suggest to Abdulsalami to hand over to Abiola because it would have caused problems. He said that the mandate which Abiola was fighting for had expired after four years, a situation that required fresh election.

He also said that most of the Decrees promulgated at the time were drafted by the Ministry of Justice and that most of them were never discussed in the Provisional Ruling Council meeting. He denied having a hand in the Diya coup, adding that he only acted as a loyal officer by reporting the coup to the Head of State after General Patrick Aziza informed him of the plans to oust Abacha.

According to Bamaiyi, "Abacha never told anybody that he wanted to transmute into a civilian Head of State. It was (Brig-Gen. Ibrahim) Sabo and his group that came up with the idea and bandied it". He also denied that he was invited to Aso Rock on the day Abacha died by Mustapha and locked up in a room, but admitted however that himself, Mustapha, Sabo, Abdulsalami and two others were in a meeting where discussions were held after which they went into a PRC meeting.

On why he opposed the take over of civilian power by one with a military background, he said it was because of the cry against military rule in the country. He insisted that if he wanted to take over power Mustapha would not have been able to stop him since he was in control of the General Officers Commanding as "power is not taken in Aso Rock".

During re-examination by his cousel, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, Bamaiyi complained that he was denied bail because he is the son of "Gambari" while Frederick Fasehun and Ganiyu Adams who are standing trial for multiple murder and who are sons of Oduduwa were granted bail.

"There seem to be two laws in this country, one for the Oduduwas and another one for the Gambaris. Gani Adams and Fasheun are standing trial for multiple murder and yet they were given bail but because I am Gambari, I was denied bail on an attempted murder charge. I don't want to talk about it here , on the 11th when we are going back to Lagos, I will address that", he said.
On whether he actually arranged bail for Abiola, he answered in the affirmative even though Falana said Diya claimed the same thing. Bamaiyi said that his claim could be verified from Comrade Paschal Bafyau and Barrister Anyiam.