Contrary
to the popular belief that Sambo Dasuki, former national security
adviser, was in the team that arrested Muhammadu Buhari during the 1985
coup, Abdulmumini Aminu has revealed the identities of the three majors.
Speaking
to Daily Trust in an interview published on Sunday, Aminu, who retired
as a colonel in 1993, said it was a three-man team which he led that
arrested the then head of state, with the others being Lawan Gwadabe and
John Madaki.
This revelation runs contrary to reports that the team was made up of Dasuki, Aminu, Gwadabe and Abubakar Umar.
Most
recently when the DSS searched the residences of the former NSA during
the id-al-fitr celebrations, there were insinuations that it was in
revenge for what he “did” to Buhari during the Muslim holidays on August
27, 1985 when the coup was executed.
But
Aminu told Daily Trust: “I must confess that I led that operation. I
went to Dodan Barracks that time in company of two other officers – then
Major John Madaki and Lawan Gwadabe. Three of us went, but specifically
I was the one that went upstairs to bring Buhari. With due respect, I
have been reading in the papers and listening to radio, people saying
that we manhandled him, we disrespected him. That was not true.”
He
said further ” I and General Buhari are the only two who knew what
transpired upstairs and there was nothing like that. “We gave him his
absolute respect as a superior, because even before that time, we had
absolute respect for him, because of whom and what he was. We respected
him a lot till today and there is no animosity between us and he knew it
was a military assignment that we were carrying out from our superior.
He even told me at one time. So for us, it is just like the other way
round of when he came to power during the anti-Shagari coup. I was among
those who played a major role in getting him to power (in 1993). “So,
he knew the role I played. And even Buhari knew in 2003, I was arrested
because of him. That time, I supported him (in the presidential election
against President Olusegun Obasanjo). I worked for him at that time,
without even him knowing anyway, but he later knew. You see, once you
believe in somebody and you know he has the capability, you can do
anything for him without even him knowing.”
n.
He said: “It is a blatant lie. In an operation of that nature, we don’t
carry handcuffs. I did not salute him because according to military
tradition and norms when the flag is lowered, you can only pay
compliments the way you deem fit, not salutation. “We met at 2am and at
that time, we don’t salute because the flag is down, until 6am again
when the flag is up. To insinuate that he was handcuffed, that is far
from the truth. We only accorded him all the respects he deserved. I
still hold him in very high esteem.”
POINTBLANK
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