‘My 9yrs ordeal in DSS cell, prison custody over alleged terrorism’

In this interview, Alhaji Abdullahi Mustapha Berende talks about his nine years prison incarceration, his trials, travails and experience while his ordeal lasted among other issues of interest. Excerpts;

How does it feel like to smell freedom again?

I fell happy and fulfilled tasting freedom again after all these years. It was overwhelming meeting my people at the airport. I shed tears when I hugged my mother. It has been my prayer all along that I want to meet her alive. I held onto her as if she was my baby and her reaction made me cry.

Take us through your 9 years experience in DSS custody?

It was low for me because I believe I didn’t do anything that warranted such. But once the law says you are a suspected criminal, then you can’t expect kind treatment. Once under suspicion, the situation will not be lovely. Any country will treat any suspect as a negative individual until proven otherwise. Fine, it wasn’t a pleasant experience but it was necessary for me to have it.

What was your routine like while you were there?

My immediate concern was to concentrate on the matters at hand which lasted for about 10 days. Afterwards, I developed my own timetable which I wrote on the prison walls. But when my wife came with some of my prayer books, then I made it formal.

Do you have any saddest moment?

My first two days in there because I least expected to be in that situation, I wept bitterly. But after some time, I pulled myself together and even celebrated my one year anniversary in detention. It got to a point I had to speak to God in my native language not knowing whether to ask Him to free me or keep me in there (laughter) because I had started to enjoy that place. But I left it to Him to decide.

Any happy moment then?

When it became very clear to me that God has a plan for isolating and keeping me in prison, I believe He is cleansing me in preparation for higher engagement.

As a scholar of Islam, were you still able to give Dawah in detention?

The system in prison is that we all have our separate cell and we were not allowed to come out we only just walk to our doors and we initiate discussion from there. I try to preach piety to them in that scenario. A fellow even queried if one could have time for prayers in the cell. But he ended up being one of the most prayerful individuals after just a week. During Ramadan, I also take deliver tafsir to them  in the same circumstance.

How would you interpret this in light of religion?

That Almighty Allah is behind everything and in control of all worldly affairs. Everything happens for a reason. Quran and many of the Prophet’s tradition made us understand the essence of trials in one’s life. So it depends on what we want to take away from the test.

What lessons have you learnt from this episode?

I learnt that life is a school and our syllabus is prepared by God. Anybody who finds himself in my situation should know that God is at work and should not see anybody as the cause. The important thing is for him to learn from the situation and graduate. But some inmates don’t. Theirs is just to eat and sleep. Prison is a standard school of learning with its own laws and government. Those who refused to learn are the ones having carry-over to return to jail.

Do you see this trial and the charges as a kind of injustice?

I don’t know the circumstances that led to my arrest by the Nigerian government but it is legal according to the Nigerian law. I have sparse information about the other processes that played out. In context now, I made some personal errors out of naivety which can be over blown. I have been jailed and released after completing my term. I fought it but failed because I went back to court where the judgement was upheld. So according to Nigerian law, I have been convicted of all those charges and I’ll prefer to leave that case to the Nigerian government and to God. But for emphasis, I have never supported terrorism in my sermons but our laws interpreted certain things otherwise. And I don’t have any link with Al-Qaeda which there investigation rejected. I have also never spied for Iran.

Are you denying your connection with Iran?

My several visits to Iran were for the purpose of education and I have close to 20 students in various universities there before my arrest who I helped to process admissions. Many have their Masters before they traveled. But Iran has never asked me to spy on anybody. Till now, I can’t say what led to my arrest.

What are those errors you think you made that you will like to share?

Firstly, I have very low knowledge of our constitution then and took many things for granted. I placed too much trust on people including those working in the intelligence agencies. A person of my personality and the way I relate with my congregation should have known better. It was too difficult for me to blame the Nigerian government for my predicament. But it is a big lesson for me.

What is your rating of the judiciary and security agencies now?

For those working in the security agencies, my perception about them has changed while I was with them because I saw their level of sacrifice first hand. They work 24/7 and at times they might not even return. It was that troubling. But whether their efforts commensurate with their successes are stories for another day. As for the Judiciary, I agree now that it’s the last hope of the common man. In my case, they were considerate and follow the middle cause. But we are still developing as a country and there are still rooms for improvement. With my observation, our intelligence personnel need more equipment. I will not castigate them and even I might do same if in their shoes. If they have enough equipment, they will do a better job to thoroughly investigate cases before making arrest. Such investigation could take years. But it is worth it.

What did you lose personally?

Nothing. I met a well improved office and a lot of people in togetherness. My children had grown and in different universities. My mother, brother and family are in unity and many of my students then are now scholars. I also saw that Ilorin has changed and developed. Residents might not see it. My wife kept everything I own intact, even to the smallest thing you can think of like a pin.

What are your duration in Zaria and Kuje prisons?

After I was arrested on December 17, 2012, I arrived Abuja on 18th, I left DSS custody for Kuje prison May 17, 2018, spent about 4 months in Kuje before I was transferred to Zaria where I spent about two and half years, nine years altogether. The change in locations was just normal prison routine.

You have been tried, convicted and sentenced, are you not worried about the future implications of this to you?

Politically and socially, an ex-convict has a limitation depending on the way people accept him. Religion wise, I have no single regret. I was into politics with the belief that I could change something I believed is not right in the system. But now that I’m back, I still follow and monitor political events but not that I am involved.

What’s next for you after this episode?

While I was away, things have happened and I will like to relate  them in present context. One thing is still constant though which is my religious duties and we leave that to Allah to continue to guide me. But I have suspended politics for now. Can’t say when I will return.

Who are those you want to appreciate following your release    

God first, then DSS officials in Kuje prison, the In-Charge, Mr Umaru, the doctor that handled my health, Alhaji Abdulkareem Adam and the different departments within the prison including welfare that get me anything legally allowed that I need. There is the Head of Record who is an academician that always taught us Hausa and history and all staff of the prison among others. Then from the home front, my mom, my wonderful wife, in fact, I have to be one of the luckiest men on earth to have her as a wife, my brother and look like, Yakub who toiled and work really hard despite many odds to see to my freedom, my PA, Mr Lateef Bamidele, Mr Kamaldeen and other members of the family too numerous to mention including all those supporting us with prayers and embarking in other actions that led to my eventual release especially National Pilot and others. But what I will like to emphasize is that I forgive everyone that played a part in my arrest. God has been there for me, what else do I want?

What is your message to the people?

We all have our destinies already inscribed by Almighty Allah before we were created and only God can tamper with it. I believe I have a destiny that will not be fulfilled if I didn’t go to prison. If it is not part of my destiny, with the calibre of people close to me with their wealth and power they would have brought me out that very day.

My understanding of this is that my imprisonment was to fulfill my destiny.