Former
President Olusegun Obasanjo has alleged that President Goodluck
Jonathan is currently keeping over 1000 people on his political watch
list while also secretly training snipers and other armed personnel as
well as acquiring weapons for political purposes.
He stated in an
18-page letter to Mr. Jonathan,
that from what had been alleged, the snipers were being trained at the
same place the late Head of State, Sani Abacha, trained his own killer
squad.
The former president however warned that if the allegation
was true, it would not augur well for him (Jonathan), the government
and Nigerians.
“Allegation of keeping over 1000 people on
political watch list rather than criminal or security watch list and
training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely
acquiring weapons to match for political purposes like Abacha and
training them where Abacha trained his own killers, if it is true, it
cannot augur well for the initiator, the government and the people of
Nigeria,” Mr. Obasanjo said in the letter dated December 2.
“Here again, there is the reason of history to learn from for anybody who cares to learn from history.”
Mr.
Obasanjo said the president would always remember that he was elected
to maintain security for all Nigerians and protect them, warning that no
one should prepare to kill or maim them (Nigerians) for personal or
political ambition or interest of anyone.
Quoting a Yoruba adage
that says: “The man with whose head coconut is broken may not live to
savour the taste of the succulent fruit,” Mr. Obasanjo said those who
advised him (Jonathan) to go hard on those opposed to him were his worst
enemies.
He added, “Democratic politics admits and is
permissible of supporters and opponents. When the consequences come,
those who have wrongly advised you will not be there to help carry the
can. Egypt must teach some lesson.”
Apparently referring to the
recent judicial freedom of Hamza Al-Mustapha, the late Chief Security
Officer to Mr Abacha, the former president said the presidential
assistance for a murderer to evade justice and for a presidential
delegation to welcome him home could only be in bad taste generally, but
particularly to the family of the victim.
He said, “Assisting
criminals to evade justice cannot be part of the job of the presidency.
Or, as it is viewed in some quarters, is he being recruited to do for
you want he had done for Abacha in the past. Hopefully, he should have
learned his lesson. Let us continue watch.”
Mr. Obasanjo did not however say if Mr. Al-Mustapha is training the snipers.
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