Former military Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd), former Head of State, has explained the role he played in preventing ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo from going to Court to challenge his incarceration after he was released from prison in 1998.
Abubakar in an interview with TUST TV, said that Obasanjo so pained over his imprisonment by the regime of General Sani Abacha that he wanted to go to court to challenge his imprisonment and breach of his fundamental right.
General Abubabakr, who took over as Head of State following the sudden death of General Sani Abacha in 1998, moved immediately and released Obasanjo and others from prison.
Abdulsalami Abubakar said; “We released Obasanjo and other prisoners and pardoned them to make them bounce back
“So, when Obasanjo was released he came to see me, saying he was going to take the government to court. ‘Why are you going to do that?’ He said his business was crumbled by the military, his human rights have been violated.
“That he did not commit any coup and so on and so forth. I said, Sir, please let bygone be bygone, thank God you are alive today. Forget about these things. Some of the issues you mentioned, are within my power. I will look into that. So, we left it at that,” he said.
Asked in specific terms if he rehabilitated Obasanjo after prison, the former Head of State said; “Like I had all other prisoners! What do you mean by I had to rehabilitate him?
“Of course not only him, all people that were imprisoned in one way or the other, we tried to rehabilitate them; to help them in one way or the other.”
(Daily Trust)
