Facts have emerged about how Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal played a role in the Christmas 2009 attempted bombing of Northwest Airlines Flight 253 by Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, better known as the “underwear bomber”.
Abdulmutallab was sentenced to life in prison following his guilty plea to all eight counts of a United States federal indictment charging him with the attempted bombing.
Governor Lawal, who has continued to court controversy, had declared N9 trillion from undeclared sources, is the brother-in-law of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab. He is Lawal’s wife’s younger brother.
Lawal, who had resided outside Nigeria for years before becoming Zamfara State Governor, has not given up trying to get AbdulMutalab out of jail in the Administrative Maximum Facility, commonly known as ADX Florence or the Florence Supermax in Florence, Colorado, 90 miles south of Denver.
He reportedly helped to radicalise the then-young boy. A source familiar with the development but who does not want to be named for family reasons revealed that “Dauda has radicalised many other young persons in society through clandestine means including posing as their teacher or mentor. As such, the family continues to hold Dauda responsible for how Farouk turned out. His being governor today has not lessened that moral burden. So, if he concludes his US visit without checking on Farouk it would be interpreted as abandoning him because of his current position.”
Lawal who had in the past been circumspect in openly associating with Abdulmutallab for fear of being linked with his role in the attempted bombing is now boldly intervening in his matter using the cover of his immunity as Governor of Zamfara State and by implication a Nigerian government official with diplomatic cover.
Another source in the Zamfara State Government House confirmed that Lawal, who is currently in the US, plans to visit Abdulmutallab in Colorado. “The Government House Protocol perfected the travel plans, including the car to take His Excellency on the two hours thirty minute drive from Denver to Florence, where the boy is serving his jail term. He opted for a road trip so that he would not trigger the interest of US authorities because of the documentation that would be required for local flights.”
Pressed further, the source disclosed that Governor Lawal is careful to avoid reviving US interest in the source of his wealth, which some of their law enforcement agencies had in the past linked to terrorist networks. “With the whole thing being mentioned about his interaction with bandits, which is not so, His Excellency is careful so that they will not start asking new questions.
Abdulmuttallab, who attempted to bomb Northwest Airlines Flight 253 using explosives worked into his underwear, was on 16 February 2012 sentenced to 4 life terms plus 50 years without parole and is being held at ADX Florence, the supermax federal prison in Colorado.