Major Hamza Al-Mustapha has expressed deep regrets that he did not get to meet the late Chief Solomon Lar before his death last week in a United States hospital.
The former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late head of state, General Sani Abacha made his feelings known yesterday during a condolence visit to the Lar’s residence in Abuja, where he met the deceased’s daughter, Beni Lar, a member of the House of Representatives.
Al-Mustapha, who embarked on a ‘thank you’ tour immediately after his release from prison following his discharge and acquittal in the assassination of late Alhaja Kudirat Abiola by the Court of Appeal sitting in Lagos, lamented that his planned visit to the late Lar was made impossible by fate.
Al-Mustapha, who described the pioneer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, as a father and defender of democracy, said they had established contact since the deceased’s days as a Minister of Police Affairs.
“Our relationship continued, even while I was incarcerated.
“Therefore, after my release, I thought of coming to say `thank you’ to him. But, I couldn’t before he died,’’ the former CSO was quoted as saying during the visit.
He prayed God to grant the deceased eternal rest and the entire Lar family the fortitude to bear the loss.
Corroborating the remarks made by Al-Mustapha, a former Deputy President of the Senate, Alhaji Ibrahim Mantu, who was at the Lar’s residence, said the late elder statesman cared about Al-Mustapha.
He said the late former governor of old Plateau State kept impressing on him the need to get Al-Mustapha released from prison when he (Mantu) was at the National Assembly.
“I never knew why `Baba’ was interested in Al-Mustapha’s release until this visit. Bur we did our best as at that time.
“During that time, at many times when we thought we had finished the deal in the evening, some other people were somewhere changing things before daybreak,’’ Mantu said.
(NAN)
