THE TRIAL AND CONVICTION OF GENERAL DIYA....

Oladipo Diya 

On 21 January 1998, The Coup trial of Lt-General Oladipo Diya and others began at the old Government house Rayfield in Jos. It was a tragic day in the Histroy of Nigeria when within a space
of three years another leader of government was seen on television being 

paraded and charged for treason before a Millitary Tribunal in handcuffs, I wept bitterly and profusely. In 1995 two former Millitary leaders of the country, General Olusegun Obasanjo(Head of state)rtd, and the late Major-general Sheu Musa Yaradua(Chief of Staff Supreme headquarter and former No 2 in Government)were paraded like common place criminals before a military tribunal. My political leader and mentor Chief Obafemi Awolowo used to say in his lifetime that any one that revels in insulting the myths of leadership and authority in the country will only be making himself a fool and renegade. He had said the above in reply to his supporters who in 1980 had urged him to shun a meeting of party leaders called by Alhaji Sheu Shagari the then president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. That was when Chief Awolowo equally told his supporters."Whether you peoples like it or not I will attend the meeting called by Shagari. He is the defacto and de jure president of the country. If i refuse to attend his meeting, It is not Shagari that I will be insulting but our country, Nigeria.

I am convinced that the assault mounted by General Abacha and his supporters on the myth of leadership and authority by having former leaders of the country disgraced and humiliated in 1995 and 1998 respectively did contribute to the disastrous consequence that ended his regime.
When the case was called for mention on 21 January ,1998 by Major-General Victor Malu, the Chairman of the tribunal, Lt-General Dipo Diya pleaded his innocence of the charge of On Tuesday 28 April 1998, judgement was delivered by the Victor Malu tribunal and Lt-General Oladipo Diya was sentenced to death. Equally sentenced to death with Diya were Tajudeen Olanrewaju, Abdul Kareem Adisa both of whom were  Major-General, Lt-Colonel Olu Akiode (who eventually died in the prison as a result of the heavy torture he had received during the interrogation) Major O.O.Fadipe and Engineer A.A Adebanjo.

Mrs Shola Shoile,Colonel Edwin Jando,Niran Malaolu(a journalist and the editor of the  diet newspaper who was charged for allegedly talking to a foreign diplomat on the coup announcement) and Isaiah Adebowale were sentenced to life imprisonment Various jails term were given to Colonel Yakubu Bako(25 years) Lt- Colonel Ibrahim Yakassai(28 years) Major Billiaminu Muhammed (30 years),Mr.Mukhtaru Maidabino(5 years), Mr.Odeniyi Ademola(2 years) and Lance Corporal Galadima Tanko(3 years).
The following peoples were discharged and acquitted; Major K.A Ishaku, Warrant Officer Coker Oladosu, Corporal Isaiah Kontagora, Corporal Eddie Ekamu, Mr.Olatimehin Abimbola, Proffesor Femi Odekunle, Miss Halima Bawa,lt Commander D.A Soetan, DSP Bawa Maccido, Mr Iliyasu Muhammed, Chief Yomi Tokoya, Mr Musa  Adede, Mr.Ibrahim Musa and Staff Sergeant Moses Elli.
Major General Victor Malu's reply to Diya's plea of a set up was contained in the following words:" it was not necessary to inquire into who initiated the conspiracy. the tribunal is satisfied that nobody was arraigned on the charge of initiating a coup plot and as such,it was not necessary to inquire into who initiated the conspiracy".

For decades, historian will argue about who must bear the full responsibility for the disastrous Abacha years. Question will be asked by generation yet unborn on why it took the Nigerian nation over five years to evolve solution to the problem that ravaged the country in the Abacha years until divine intervention had to assist in terminating a regime that had conducted the domestic and international affairs of the country with such bullying and murderous assertion. history,the final arbiter of all events will eventually pronounced it's Verdict.

This excerpt was written by  EBENNEZER BABATOPE in his book "what went wrong in ABACHA  years"