By Gideon Njoku
More facts are emerging that, perhaps; the once-dismissed-as- phantom-Diya Coup was real, afterall.
The first inkling came from Col Bello Fadile, rtd, in his recently released book, “Nine Lives: The Inspiring Story of Col. Bello Fadile”.
Fadile was one of those condemned to death at the time, with, among others, then Chief of Staff, Lt Gen Oladipo Diya, and Major General Abdulkarim Adisa. However, most Nigerians still doubted the authenticity of that alleged aborted coup plot against the General Abacha regime.
But now comes Major Seun Fadipe, a gallant officer who was one of those tried in connection with the alleged coup plot. He was the Chief Security Officer, CSO, to then Chief of General Staff, Diya. As CoS, Diya was second in Command to Abacha.
During their trial, Fadipe was praised by the Tribunal for having the courage to admit that there was indeed a plan to topple the Abacha regime.
And, this other day, in an interview on Channel’s Television with Laolu Akande, Fadipe let Nigerians know that even before the shocking news of the Coup plot broke, there was a plot, in 1997, to abduct Abacha in Enugu, South-east Nigeria.
He disclosed that his then boss, Diya, was aware of the plot meant to be carried out during the Army Training Conference in Enugu. Abacha was billed, as the Commander-in-Chief, to declare it open And, according to Fadipe, Diya and some other unnamed top Officers had planned to abduct Abacha on arrival in Enugu, and so, force him to resign from office as Head of State.
This was before Diya himself escaped a bomb planted planted inside the aircraft he was billed to travel in at the Abuja Airport.
However, Abacha escaped the plot when he got wind of it. Apparently, as from the time of that aborted plan to abduct Abacha, Diya and his co-travellers became “marked men”.
Fadipe: “On the 9th of December 1997, we got to the office, and after the pleasantries with my boss, the ADC left. Once the ADC leaves, I will give my boss the security briefing for the period and after, he said: ‘Are you sure all is well?’
“That was before the bomb attempt on the 13th of December 1997. That was the first time he told me directly that something was in the offing.
“A day before then, the Chief of Army Training Conference just took off in Enugu, and Abacha, being the C-in-C was supposed to open the event. The man (Abacha) had left the Villa and then on his way to the airport, all of a sudden, the man came back.
“So, after some time, my boss called me and told me that the man aborted his trip and he was back in the villa. My boss was a bit worried.
“The next morning, my boss told me and a few security people: ‘If Oga had travelled yesterday, he would have been arrested and there would have been a change of government’.
“I just knew I was in trouble. He said if he (Abacha) had gone to Enugu, he would have been abducted and forced to resign and there would have been a change of government.”
Fadipe was retired after the “Diya coup”, and Diya is now late.
