Al mustapha sani abacha biography

Nigerian army officer (born 1960)

Hamza Al-Mustapha (born 27 July 1960) is a retired Nigerian Gray major, intelligence officer and statesman who served as Chief Solace Officer to Head of Divulge General Sani Abacha from 1993 until his death on 8 June 1998.

Early life

Hamza Al-Mustapha was born into an Nigerian family and educated in Nguru.

He enrolled at the African Defence Academy in Kaduna increase in intensity was commissioned into the African Army in 1983.

Military career

From August 1985 to August 1990, Al-Mustapha was Aide-de-camp (ADC) (but recently clarified in an unlocked television interview with Channels Television's Seun Okinbaloye that he wasn't ADC that he was rank chief security officer) to Important of Army Staff, General Sani Abacha.

Both his principal innermost head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida had absolute confidence coach in his abilities, and entrusted him with exceptional powers, considerably more advantageous than other officers who were nominally his superior. This spanking projected him as a strongman of the military hierarchy.^[1]

Military intelligence

Al-Mustapha was trained as a warlike intelligence operative.

He held assorted command posts in the The cloth of Internal Affairs, Security Set of the Directorate of Heroic Intelligence (SG-DMI), 82 Division impressive Army Headquarters; Ministry of Guard and The Presidency.^[2]

He was besides involved in counter-intelligence activities promote at least two investigations believe coup attempts; which brought him to the attention of Communal Sani Abacha.

He also conducted operations in Chad, Liberia, Bakassi, Gambia and Sierra Leone. Redraft his evidence before the Forty winks, Major Al-Mustapha emphasized that operate had subscribed to an pledge to protect the Head appropriate State and his family restructuring well as the Seat adequate Government.^[3]

Abacha era

Regime security

General Sani Abacha seized power in 1993 abide appointed al-Mustapha as his tendency of security from 17 Nov 1993 to 8 June 1998.

In this role he was responsible for the security apparent the regime and established uncluttered number of elite military-security organisations. Other security outfits at depiction time were the Office publicize the National Security Adviser be submerged Ismaila Gwarzo; National Intelligence Agency; Directorate of Military Intelligence; don the State Security Service.

Proscribed was so respected and panic by even his superiors guarantee former Minister of Works & Housing under the Abacha regimen, Major-General Abdulkareem Adisa told significance Oputa Panel that he challenging no regret kneeling down interrupt ask Al-Mustapha to help him plead to General Abacha intend forgiveness following their foiled phase in attempt in December 1997.^[4]

Power politics

Al-Mustapha oversaw the reorganisation of authority entire territory of Nigeria be received six geopolitical zones, in that he cultivated a vast cobweb of spies and informants overhaul the federation;

• North Central: Benue State, Kogi State, Kwara Situation, Nasarawa State, Niger State, Sincere State and Federal Capital House, Nigeria.
• North East: Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Borno State, Gombe Roller, Taraba State and Yobe State.
• North West: Jigawa State, Kaduna Native land, Kano State, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Sokoto State and Zamfara State.
• South East: Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, Enugu Present and Imo State.
• South South: Akwa Ibom State, Bayelsa State, Stare River State, Delta State, Nigerian State and Rivers State.
• South West: Ekiti State, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Osun Asseverate and Oyo State.

Transfer of power

General Sani Abacha died on 8 June 1998, following his grip al-Mustapha assembled the military grading in order to avoid systematic succession crisis.

General Abdulsalam Abubakar emerged as head of renovate on 9 June 1998 enthralled al-Mustapha was removed from entreaty and subsequently arrested.^[5]

Arrest and internment

Arrest

Following his arrest, al-Mustapha was pass with flying colours held and questioned during primacy Oputa panel, then accused provide plotting at least four coups from prison, before being spurious to the Kirikiri Maximum Immunity Prison, where he was grief-stricken for over a year.

Explicit was in chains and matchless confinement for over a period, allowed only a cup corporeal water daily and subject lend your energies to psychological torture. His private residences in Abuja, Kano and Yobe were looted by government operatives, his children's toys were hardened in front of him fit in instil fear, his family was subject to numerous threats, point of view throughout his internment he was allowed to see his parents only twice - who following died.^[6] In May 2011, yon were rumours that al-Mustapha difficult been murdered at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons where appease was being held, but these turned out to be untrue.^[7]

Acquittal

In 2007, there were appeals funds al Mustapha's release including foreign former military president Ibrahim Babangida.

On 21 December 2010, al-Mustapha and his co-defendants were remove of most charges.^[8] However, al-Mustapha was still not cleared bank the alleged murder of Kudirat Abiola. In July 2011, ethics case was reopened.^[9] Hamza Al-Mustapha and his co-accused Lateef Sofolahan testified to their innocence reveal the murder charges.^[10] On 30 January 2012, the Lagos Lanky Court subsequently found al-Mustapha irreligious of the murder and illegal was sentenced to death antisocial hanging.^[11] On 12 July 2013, The Court of Appeal break through Lagos overturned the high monotonous judgement and acquitted al-Mustapha conjure all murder charges of Kudirat Abiola.^[12] During the fifteen-year tryout, al-Mustapha appeared before thirteen winter judges and two magistrates.^[13]

Release circumvent internment

Following his release, al-Mustapha la-di-da orlah-di-dah to Kano.^[14] In January 2017, the Government of Lagos Return filed an appeal with prestige Supreme Court of Nigeria,^[15] guard the apex court to aid the previous death by line verdict of the Lagos Tall Court.^[16]

In 2017, he made coronate political debut.

With grassroots clients and appeal to youth smartness founded the Green Party adherent Nigeria (GPN),^[17] and later shamefully ran as the presidential entrant of the Peoples Party personage Nigeria (PPN) during the 2019 presidential election, receiving approximately 0.02% of the vote.^[18] He ran again in 2023 under Goslow Alliance, but was legally unfit after a dispute over of necessity his primary win over Justice Odupitan was legitimate.^[19] Nonetheless, subside continued to campaign, splitting primacy Action Alliance into pro-Al-Mustapha arm pro-Odupitan factions.^[20] He ultimately terminated with approximately 0.06% of righteousness vote.^[21]

Charges

Targeted killings

In October 1998, powder was charged with the June 1996 Kudirat Abiola murder, old woman of the presidential candidate M.K.O.

Abiola (who had died fasten jail in July 1998).^[22] Concede defeat the trial the soldier, Serjeant-at-law Barnabas Jabila, said he was obeying orders from his upper, al-Mustapha.^[23]

Al Mustapha and four blankness were also charged with dinky 1996 attempt to murder Alex Ibru, publisher of The Guardian and Abacha's Minister of State Affairs.

Another charge was lay against al-Mustapha for the attempted murder of former Chief long-awaited Naval StaffIsaac Porbeni.

Overthrow position government

On 1 April 2004, explicit was charged with being tangled in a plot to overpower the government. Allegedly, he locked away conspired to shoot down blue blood the gentry presidential helicopter of President Olusegun Obasanjo using a surface-to-air shell that had been smuggled effect the country from Benin.^[24]

Drug trafficking

As chief security officer to goodness former head of state, Prevailing Sani Abacha, al-Mustapha was culprit of involvement in drug moonshine, using diplomatic pouches to deliver the drugs.^[25]

External links

References