Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, April 9, said that his government never plotted to kill Ishaya Bamaiyi, a retired lieutenant general and a former chief of Army Staff, as claimed he claimed by him in his book.

Obasanjo said this while playing host to members of the Correspondents Chapel, Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun Chapter, at his hilltop residence in Abeokuta.

The former president explained that his administration only asked Bamaiyi to answer to those that he was alleged to have killed, saying that the decision was legitimate.

“That I wanted to kill him? What of the people he killed? My government did not plot to kill him.

“My government asked him to answer to those that were alleged to have been killed by him and that is legitimate.

“That if there is an allegation that you have done something, that you have committed a crime, then you are arrested, you should answer and that is all.

“Who the hell is he that I would want to kill him? Kill him for what? To achieve what? No!

“There were allegations, the police and the law enforcement agencies decided to look into the allegations.

“They invited him and they asked him to answer as a result of what was found, so they charged him to court.

“So, it’s now up to him, the investigators as I said, the prosecutors and the judiciary. That’s all,” Obasanjo said.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Bamaiyi had recently alleged that his incarceration for more than eight years was punishment for opposing the choice of Obasanjo as successor to Abdulsalami Abubakar, a retired general and former Head of State,.

The allegation was contained in his book, “Vindication of A General” which was unveiled last weekend in Abuja.

Bamaiyi also claimed in the book that the incarceration was to keep him away for fear that he would overthrow the Obasanjo government.

He alleged that as soon as Obasanjo took over, Abubakar and some of his cohorts advised Obasanjo that if he [Bamaiyi] was left free, he would overthrow the government.

On plot to kill him, he said the government had planned the use of a lethal injection.

“While I was in prison, efforts were made to ensure I did not come out alive,” Bamaiyi said in the 252-page book launched in Abuja.

“A clear case was an attempt to kill me with a lethal injection while I was admitted at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH.

“A friend from Abuja called to advise me not to accept any injections. He had been present when it was decided, and money was made available to give me a lethal injection. I took the advice and never had any injection while in LUTH.”

To win the on corruption, the former President also suggested that thorough investigation, diligent prosecution and a committed judiciary would guarantee effective and victorious war against corruption.

Obasanjo urged anti-graft agencies to desist from engaging weak prosecutors but hire quality lawyers from within.

He noted that lawyers from outside the agencies could deliberately file a wishy-washy case just to give the other party an avenue to escape justice.

Obasanjo said: “I was reading today when the President (Muhammadu Buhari) said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, should stop losing cases. They lose cases for a number of reasons. One, they engage more of outside lawyers. I believe that they need ogbologbo (staunch) lawyers inside who will do the work.”

—  Apr 10, 2017 @ 9:58 GMT

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