Group under aegis of Coalition Against Oppression (CAO) has charged the Presidential Candidate of All Progressive Congress (APC) Gen Mohammadu Buhari to explain himself on the allegations on the role he played in the infamous “53 suitcases of cash” which mysteriously passed through Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos, during his tenure as Nigeria Head of State.
The group in a communiqué signed by Alhaji Yaro Magaji and Dr Abel Okonkwo the National President and National Secretary General of CAO respectively, alleged that the fifty three briefcases suspected to have contained cash illegally passed through immigration processes at the airport on the orders of the Aide-de-Camp, ADC, to Gen Buhari, one Major Mustapha Jokolo, recalling that the incident caused a great furore in the press at the time, despite repression and threats against journalists by the government.
“It also was reported then, that it was a source of great embarrassment to Tunde Idiagbon, who was Buhari’s number two in the military junta,” the communiqué alleged.
The group which affirmed that the fifty three suitcases saga has haunted Buhari for years, and he has done his best to shake it off to no avail, however, pointed out that Buhari may not like it or want to admit it, but there are certain facts that cannot be disputed about his link to the suitcases.
According to the communiqué, “Both Waziri and the alleged Emir “coincidentally” were on the same aircraft from Saudi Arabia the day the atrocity was committed. The statements from Buhari and his supporters at the time and since have claimed variously that the luggage belonged to the Emir of Gwandu (the father of the ADC), or to Tahir Waziri, newly appointed as Buhari’s Director of Protocol.”
The group pointed out that the argument whether the suitcases belonged to the Emir, a Nigerian diplomat, removed by the army, or by the secret police is inconsequential, stressing that what is of essence and no one can dispute is that all the key players in the saga have direct links to Buhari.
“If it smells like a fish and looks like a fish, it is probably a fish. There is no doubt that something very “fishy” happened on that day back in 1984,” the group recalled.
They subsequently argued that Buhari cannot simply dismiss the clear facts that it point to abuse of office and smuggling of cash, adding that it is not too late for him to apologise to the nation especially at this time when he is seeking our mandate to rule again stressing that the incident alone is a sour mantra to the anti corruption saga he claims to be fighting.
