MAITAMA SULE, AL-MUSTAPHA WEEP AS SUPPORTERS STORM KIRIKIRI

Friends and supporters of the former Chief Security Officer to the late head of state, Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, yesterday stormed Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons to inaugurate an Ultra Modern Central Mosque and Quranic School he renovated within the prisons.
Al-Mustapha, who was last year sentenced to death for his role in the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, mobilised funds from friends and associates for the reconstruction of a mosque in the Kirikiri Maximum Prisons in Lagos.
The prisons premises witnessed an unusual crowd which was almost uncontrollable for officials of Nigeria Prison Service who lamented the large turnout of guests for the ceremony. Many other invited guests had to be locked outside the prison.

The event which was chaired by Dan Masanin Kano, Alhaji Yusuf Maitama Sule and Senator Ganiyu Solomon, had other personalities in attendance including the representative of Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, Chief Imam of Lagos, Sheikh Garuba Akinola, founder Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Dr. Frederic Fasehun, Prince Doyin Sijuade, northern politicians among others.
However, the Dan Masanin Kano was unable to control his emotions when he approached Al-Mustapha who had kept a low profile among other inmates as both men hugged, and exchanged few words and cried hysterically.
Supporters of Al-Mustapha however added more drama outside the prison walls when they began to call for the release of the embattled former CSO, chanting: “Sai Al-Mustapha, Free Mustapha”.
An official of the Prisons Service who pleaded not to be mentioned in press said crowds in large numbers from the northern parts of the country had started to arrive the prison quaters since Friday for the event.
He said only 700 guests could be allowed to access the prison yard, while hundreds of invitees mostly, including journalist where turned back form witnessing the official inauguration ceremony for the mosque.
The northern community in Lagos also sent a delegation of about 200 people lead by Alhaji Yerima Shetima.
Chaplain of the Muslim Community, Maximum Security Prison, Kirikiri Imam Adio Mulid Misbandeen, told our correspondent that the mosque had been in bad condition for years until Major Al-Mustapha approached him to be allowed to renovate it.

Source: People’s Daily