...From previous articles
Two hours after getting back I was again woken up and asked to come out only to see black Marias outside and people being moved out. Now, I was seeing people I had nevers een before like Commander Soetan, I never knew he was detained in Gado Nasko with me. The way we were transported out in the black Maria was horrible and I will use my own experience to illustrate the in humanity in the transportation. Theychained myright leg to the left leg of theperson sitting next to me.Then they chained the left leg to the right leg of the other person sitting to my left. In the same fashion, my two hands were handcuffed to those of the same people. I was in this position through out the journey from Abuja to Jos, a journey whichtook 12 hours to accomplish instead of the normal four hours. I don't know whether this was deliberate to punish us the more. They never stopped to allow us to eat or go to the toilet. It was horrible. In my own black Maria,we were only three chained together like 18th century slaves and locked upfrom outside. If there was a fire or an accident, we would haveperished before the keys could be procured. when we were off-loaded in Jos, the three of us had to move like that over pavements, staircases and along narrow paths. It'sbetter seen than imagined. Later, we were received by Major Mumuni and separated before being distributed to different cells. The room where I was put had evidence of fresh cement. They had dug hole in the ground and implanted iron hook into a concrete base. I was chained to the hook despite the fact that it was a solitary cell – meaning that I had to stay and sleep on the same spot. We were not given the luxury of moving up and down – meaning that we were not only detained in one room but on one spot. Thus,Gado Nasko [cell] looked to me like NICON-NOGA Hilton Hotel when compared with this creation of man's ingenuous cruelty. In my own case, I'd say I hada raw deal. My leg-iron was removed and instead, I was handcuffed to their on hook.You can imagine the sorry picture of me tied down like an Ileya[Id-el-Kabir] ram waiting to be slaughtered as it were.
So, when did you learn that your arrest had to do with the alleged coup plot? As I had said earlier on, my belief was that I had probably been arrested over the press coverage of the [December 13,1997] Abuja airport bomb blast and when I got to the villa and Mustapha started questioning me, "Where is Diya now? Where is Adisa now?" and so on. It was the accusation that I wrote the draft speech that I wanted to be foreign [affairs] minister that gave me a hint of what they were up to. My brain told me that this might be an attempt to get rid of those they didn't want near the corridor of power.
Now, tell us about your first night in Jos. The way I was'tied'down wasquite painful. throughout thenight, I was moaning and sort ofliterally crying out for help ...There were eight peopleguarding usateach given timeand they belong to the Presidential Strike Force (2),theMilitary Police, SSS, Mobile Police, Ints (Army Intelligence Officers),DMI and the Prison. There is always a team leader for each ward. So, in the morning when one of the guards opened the door, I drew his attention to my horrible situation saying the way I was I might soon die. He went back, I think to hold consultation and seek permission, and came to release one of my hands from the hook. Thus, I could at least stand up and stretch the free hand while the other remained hooked to the floor. In this situation, I was eager to get over my case, if any. So, I was always asking, "When am I going to see the SIB?" Then one Tuesday, they just came and said,"Come out, let's go to the SIB.No be yu say yu wan talk [Afterall, it is you who have been pressing for an interview with the SIB]?"The way they put it, it was as if I was ready to spill the beans. I said,"No, I was just trying to ask when it would be my turn so that I could get over this uncertainty." Well, that was the first time that I went before the panel.That was the Chris Garuba Panel? So I thought but the first panel I was taken to be a preliminary one headed by Lieutenant-Colonel [Anthony] Omenka. He was lord and master of thepanel. It was a devastating experience. First, when they take you, they take you to Rayfield where the Preliminary Investigations Panel, PIP, was.Just like our prison yard was guarded with armoured vehicles, that place was also guarded and you are in chains. They ordered everybody to sit down outside on the ground,sometimes under some trees and at times inside some garages where iron hooks had also been implanted, just like in the prison cells. About three or four of us were put in a garage but it is only you are many that you are given the luxury of being chained in the ground inside the garage.If not, you are all kept in the open field and separated from one another so that you cannot discuss with the person nearest to you.Often times,the cold harmattan wind will be biting you and you may be in this position for 10hours before they call you in and by the time they do this, the elements must have beaten the hell out of you.
...to be continued
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