Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) has expressed bitterness with at the ruling by Court of Appeal which acquitted Major Hamza al-Mustapaha, former Chief Security Officer to former Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, and Lateef Sofolahan an aide to late Chief Kudirat Abiola of murder charge leveled against them.
In a statement signed by Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo noted that that pronouncing Al-Mustapha guiltless inferred that the late despotic ruler, Sanni Abacha, under whom Al-Mustapha served as Chief Security officer, did no evil and should therefore not be spoken off in negative terms.
ARG noted that It is also instructive that no one has been pronounced guilty of any of the numerous high profile murders in the country, stressing that it makes it difficult not to believe that Nigeria’s justice system is against the interest of the poor. ARG stated that despite all the revelations that came to the fore during Justice Oputa reconciliation panel nothing has been done to heal the wounds.
“ Oputa panel was not only good for the media frenzy it created and did nothing to make us forget evils of the past so we can forge ahead as one true nation.” According to the group, a just an egalitarian society is better than development. “We are of the opinion that building a just society, is even far more important than any form of development and it is the reason we have been sounding the gong for the convocation of a Sovereign National Conference, without which true and lasting peace may remain elusive”, the group said.
