Leaders of some ethnic nationalities in Nigeria on Friday in Lagos appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to pardon Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha and others on trial with him.
The coalition included the Niger Delta Volunteers Force, the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, the Igbo Youth Congress and the United Middle-Belt Youth Forum.
Founder of Oodua Peoples Congress, Frederic Fasheun who spoke for the coalition at a news briefing, urged the president to invoke the prerogative of mercy clause and free the accused.
Also at the briefing were Asari Dokubu of Niger Delta Volunteers Force,Yerima Shettima,Arewa Youth Consultative Forum and representatives of the Igbo Youth Congress and the United Middle Belt Youth Forum, among others.
According to Fasheun, Jonathan will be writing his name in gold if he frees the detainees.
He said Al-Mustapha and the others had been on trial for 12 years and had more than paid for their zeal in serving the late Gen. Sani Abacha.
The Oodua Peoples Congress founder noted that the amnesty granted the Niger Delta militants closed the ``chapter on a terrible period in the nation’s national history, saying it should be extended to Al-Mustapha and the others.
He also appealed to the Lagos State Government to join hands with the group in protecting the Human Rights provisions of the constitution.
Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to the late Abacha, has been on trial for the alleged murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola and the attempted murder on Alex Ibru.
Also on trial with Al-Mustapha are James Danbaba, former Lagos State Commissioner of Police, retired Col. Jubrin Bala Yakubu and Mohammed Rabo Lawal, a Chief Superintendent of Police.
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