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Bamaiyi Escapes Death

Former Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Lt. Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi (retd) has revealed how he escaped death…

“Although the intrigues and conspiracy against me reached the peak during my open opposition to Gen. Abacha’s succession plan, I became their target in the course of the handling of the 1997 Diya coup during which they failed in their desperate efforts to implicate me. Once the plan failed, they changed their strategy and arranged to plant a bomb on the way to my office opposite Tafawa Balewa Square’s main gate.”

“Fortunately, my security officer from DMI learned about it. He did not say anything to me but I noticed soldiers on guard at a very unusual place and a big pothole that my driver had to avoid. When we got to the office, I called my security officer, Capt. U.M. Bature and asked why we had soldiers at that spot. He told me the pothole I saw had been dug to plant a bomb. He had uncovered the plot through one of the operators from DMI.”

“During the same period, I was in Abuja, and early in the morning a shot was fired into my official residence from one of the high buildings in the Marina. The bullet penetrated my wife’s bedroom. My military assistant, Lt. Col. S.Y. Bello, got the report and an investigation was planned with Col. Mohammed from the DMI directed to investigate.”

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“He went into my official residence but the report was never released because Brig. Gen. Sabo stopped the report from being released. Surprisingly, Col. Marwa, then Governor of Lagos went on air to announce that his official residence next to mine had been shot at. The activities of the DMI became of great concern to me as there were reports of civilians and some paramilitary personnel being locked up at the DMI.”

“I never received any report from DMI on these issues and military guardrooms were only meant for serving military personnel. I called Brig. Gen. Sabo and said I was visiting DMI to see things for myself. I knew Sabo was in Jos for the coup Tribunal. I decided to tell him I was visiting the next day. He later called me to tell me he had directed the most senior officer in the DMI Col. Mohammed to receive me and take me round. I was received by the Colonel and what I saw was unacceptable.”

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“The place was filled with civilians and paramilitary personnel. ACP Kehinde and Mr. Awadepo Michael (Comptrollers of Prison) officers at the maximum prison were locked up. There were also women and many businessmen who had no business being in military detention. It was a disgrace to the military. I directed the immediate release of all civilians, signed the visitors’ book and made my stand on the issue known.”

“The following day, I sent my Chief of Administration, Maj. Gen. E. Archibong to the DMI to ensure that my instructions were carried out while Sabo was still in Jos. His officers told him what had happened. Sabo, Marwa and Omenka decided to write falsehoods against me on their return to Lagos. They met at a Lagos State Guest House on Queen’s Drive and wrote all sorts of vicious things – virtually everything under the heading ‘Activities of General Bamaiyi, COAS that were inimical to this Administration’.”

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“I knew when this paper was being written and some senior officers suggested rounding them up while they were writing and getting them court-martialed. I told those officers to allow Sabo Marwa and Omeka to write anything they wanted. When they finished, I got a copy and showed it to AVM Idi Musa and Brig Gen. Sabo. I told them I knew Sabo and others wrote it and told when and where it was written. Sabo denied his involvement so I directed him to investigate and report back to me. In his report, Sabo said the write up was by those who wanted to destroy me. I decided not to bother. Sabo took the original copy to Gen. Abacha. I went to Gen. Abacha and he confirmed tha Sabo had brought him such silly things and said I should ignore them.”