Posted by 9jabook.com on October 28, 2009 at 8:33pm
Are we Dreaming or is Bode George Really in Prison in Naija ? Well, All Mustapha (who is still there for Kudirats' Alleged Assasination !) welcomed him to his domain .....Boy George's Newest wife was there to offer him some breakfast comfort with her cronies ..Now the Cat is out of the house , the "mouse" wants to make sure where he is ... READ ON !
* Shuns prison food
* Gets appeal documents
* Visitors barred from seeing him
LAGOS — FORMER Chief Security officer to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, was one of the high-profile inmates of the Kirikiri Maximum-Security Prison who welcomed Chief Bode George, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the prison on his arrival, Monday, Vanguard can authoritatively reveal.
Vanguard also gathered that Chief George, who was sentenced to 28 years jail term by Justice Joseph Oyewole of the Lagos High Court, but to spend two-and-a-half years, has not eaten Prison food since Monday night, neither has he applied for food to be brought to him from his home.
Meantime, security at the Kirikiri prison was tightened yesterday as Chief George and five members of the board of the Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, which he chaired, spent their first day in the prison after being jailed, Monday.
Others jailed alongside George were former Managing Director of the NPA, Architect Aminu Dabo; Captain Olusegun Abidoye, Alhaji Zanna Maideribe and Alhai Sule Aliyu.
Reports say they were allocated beds in the ‘Important Personalities’ block of the prison yard.
But it could not be ascertained whether Chief George is sharing his cell with some of those convicted with him.
Vanguard, however, gathered that between two and three inmates are allowed to stay together in VIP cells.
According to the source, prison authorities do not allow a single person in a cell whether VIP or ordinary cell, for security reasons.
Besides, two of his personal assistants, counsel, family members, friends, relations and political associates who thronged the prison were not allowed to see him as fierce-looking prison warders restricted movement in and around the premises of the prison.
Vanguard investigation revealed that visitors are not allowed to see convicts on Tuesdays.
“There are specific days of visit for convicted persons and today (Tuesday) is not one of those visiting days”, said Mr. Ope Fatinikun, the Lagos Prisons Command’s Public Relations Officer.
Al-Mustapha
Inside prison sources said the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, stalwart was unusually calm as he was ushered into the Prison yard Monday to a rousing welcome by inmates.
The source said Chief George occasionally stared into space and shook his head in disbelief.
Al-Mustapha, who is standing trial for the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late Chief M.K.O Abiola and attempted murder of the Publisher of The Guardian newspapers, Alex Ibru, before Justices M.O Dada and Mufutau Olokooba respectively, exchanged pleasantries with Chief George and they had a brief discussion during a free period.
Bode George shuns prison food
Vanguard was reliably told that Chief George had not eaten since his arrival at the prison Monday, even as he was not accorded a VIP treatment contrary to expectation.
It was not too clear whether he is on hunger strike but sources said he had not officially applied for food from home neither had he eaten prison’s food.
This was confirmed by Prison sources who said although he was not locked up with other ordinary criminals, he was not given preferential treatment.
Asked whether food was brought for him by his family or friends, the state command’s PRO, said he had not applied for food to be brought from outside.
According to him, “he has the right to apply for food but he has not done so since he arrived yesterday (Monday).”
According to Vanguard investigation, among those who attempted to see him yesterday were the immediate past Director-General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA Dr Adegboyega Dosumu, some PDP Chieftains in Lagos and other prominent Nigerians who were said to have arrived the prison gate as early as 6:30am in exotic cars some with Federal Government licenced plates.
Meanwhile, Vanguard gathered that final touches are being put to their appeal against their conviction as their lawyers were sighted on the prison’s premises believed to be part of efforts to get the convicts sign the notice of appeal drafted as well as the Motion for Appeal.
One of the lawyers who spoke with Vanguard on phone said, “we have concluded the typing of the process and ready for filing at the Registry. Unfortunately, we were unable to meet up by the time we got to the Registry of the High Court. Definitely, the process will be concluded first thing tomorrow (today),”
he said.
Day 1 in Kirikiri: ‘He’s an ordinary prisoner’
Kirikiri, where one of Nigeria’s maximum prisons is located in Lagos, is noted for receiving high-profile inmates over the years – convicted fraudster Fred Ajudua being one, for instance – but nobody of the stature of Bode George, former National Deputy Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in recent times.
Not surprisingly, hundreds thronged the prison yesterday to pay homage to the former chairman of the board of Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA).
When THISDAY visited the prison yesterday, it was discovered that prison officials who had anticipated a breakdown of law and order in premises as a result of the upsurge in the number of unexpected visitors, had drafted prison guards to contain the crowd.
They were said to have been mandated to scrutinise the identities of those who claimed to be visitors to George before they were allowed to enter the prison yard.
The relations of the PDP?chieftain and his fellow convicts were seen with assorted food flasks, gold plates and table water, such as Eva and Ragolis.
A prison source told THISDAY that some of the relations of George included a young woman identified as his new wife along with some of her friends who were seen at about 11.30 am in front of the prison gate making frantic efforts to smuggle in his breakfast with the knowledge of the prison authorities. One of them claimed that she had already received permission of some prison guards after identifying herself.
Attempts by THISDAY to seek audience with some of the politicians and relations of the influential inmates met a brick wall as they refused to either identify themselves or make any comments.
Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State command of the Nigeria Prisons Service, Mr. Ope Fatinikun, said that as far as the prison authorities were concerned, there was no “big man” within the prison custody no matter their status in the larger society before they were convicted.
“Bode George and others are Nigerians like any other inmates who are ordinary Nigerians, whom nobody has bothered to ask questions about their welfare within the prison walls across the country,” he added.
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