On this day: in history (1998), Gen. Malu’s Tribunal sentenced Gen. Diya and others to death. Those sentenced to death were Lt-Gen. Oladipo Diya, former Vice Chairman, Provisional Ruling Council, and Chief of General Staff; Major General Abdulkareem Adisa, former Minister of Works and Housing; Major General Tajudeen Olanrewaju, former Minister of Communications; Major Seun Fadipe,, Chief Security Officer to Diya; Col. Olu Akinyode, former Military Assistant to General Olanrewaju and a civil engineer, Bola Adebanjo, an associate of Diya. Four of the accused persons were convicted of “information gathering” and implication in the alleged coup plot, and sentenced to life imprisonment. Major Fadipe, who was sentenced to death, had already pleaded guilty on the opening day of the trial. “I am not here to waste anybody’s time”, he was quoted as saying.
Two of the accused persons were convicted of theft and sentenced to 14 years’ imprisonment. Col. Yakubu Bako was convicted for illegal importation of fire arms and was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Three were convicted of theft and handling of stolen goods. The Tribunal acquitted 14 persons on unspecified charges.
In sentencing the officers, General Malu said there was overwhelming evidence proving Diya had amassed a small army of loyal troops by the time his plot to overthrow the regime was discovered.
On the directive of General Sanni Abacha, meeting of the Provisional Ruling Council was summoned for Monday June 8, 1998 to deliberate on General Malu’s report either to confirm or reject the report. In the early hours of that Monday, June 8, 1998, General Sanni Abacha died.
On July 09 1998, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, who succeeded General Abacha, reversed the sentence, and Diya and the others were released.
Lieutenant General Diya, was not only released but also discharged from the army, stripped of his rank, and barred from using his military title.
General Donaldson Oladipo Diya (born 3 April 1944) is a Nigerian general who served as Chief of the General Staff. He was the de facto Vice President of Nigeria under military head of state General Sani Abacha from 1994 until his arrest for treason in 1997.
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Created by Okey Obiabunmo
