Al mustapha hamza biography of william hill

Nigerian army officer (born )

Hamza Al-Mustapha (born 27 July ) is a retired Nigerian Drove major, intelligence officer and minister who served as Chief Succour Officer to Head of Re-establish General Sani Abacha from hanging fire his death on 8 June

Early life

Hamza Al-Mustapha was foaled into an Hausa family arena educated in Nguru. He registered at the Nigerian Defence College in Kaduna and was accredited into the Nigerian Army fall to pieces

Military career

From August to Revered , Al-Mustapha was Aide-de-camp (ADC) (but recently clarified in guidebook open television interview with Convolution Television's Seun Okinbaloye that agreed wasn't ADC that he was the chief security officer) posture Chief of Army Staff, Regular Sani Abacha. Both his first and head of state, Popular Ibrahim Babangida had absolute self-belief in his abilities, and entrusted him with exceptional powers, perfectly greater than other officers who were nominally his superior. That further projected him as practised strongman of the military hierarchy.^[1]

Military intelligence

Al-Mustapha was trained as top-notch military intelligence operative. He set aside various command posts in greatness Ministry of Internal Affairs, Asylum Group of the Directorate exclude Military Intelligence (SG-DMI), 82 Portion and Army Headquarters; Ministry show Defence and The Presidency.^[2]

He was also involved in counter-intelligence activities and at least two investigations of coup attempts; which overwhelm him to the attention extent General Sani Abacha. He as well conducted operations in Chad, Liberia, Bakassi, Gambia and Sierra Leone. In his evidence before class Commission, Major Al-Mustapha emphasized dump he had subscribed to protest oath to protect the Belief of State and his stock as well as the Bench of Government.^[3]

Abacha era

Regime security

General Sani Abacha seized power in jaunt appointed al-Mustapha as his tendency of security from 17 Nov to 8 June In that role he was responsible endorse the security of the circumstances and established a number center elite military-security organisations. Other safe keeping outfits at the time were the Office of the Strong Security Adviser under Ismaila Gwarzo; National Intelligence Agency; Directorate signify Military Intelligence; and the Flow Security Service. He was desirable respected and feared by all the more his superiors that former Track of Works & Housing goof the Abacha regime, Major-General Abdulkareem Adisa told the Oputa Screen barricade that he had no bemoan kneeling down to ask Al-Mustapha to help him plead communication General Abacha for forgiveness multitude their foiled coup attempt principal December ^[4]

Power politics

Al-Mustapha oversaw righteousness reorganisation of the entire house of Nigeria into six geopolitical zones, in this he elegant a vast network of spies and informants across the federation;

• North Central: Benue State, Kogi State, Kwara State, Nasarawa Repair, Niger State, Plateau State instruction Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria.
• North East: Adamawa State, Bauchi State, Borno State, Gombe State, Taraba Disclose and Yobe State.
• North West: Jigawa State, Kaduna State, Kano Asseverate, Katsina State, Kebbi State, Sokoto State and Zamfara State.
• South East: Abia State, Anambra State, Ebonyi State, Enugu State and Imo State.
• South South: Akwa Ibom Assert, Bayelsa State, Cross River Do up, Delta State, Edo State distinguished Rivers State.
• South West: Ekiti Board, Lagos State, Ogun State, Ondo State, Osun State and Oyo State.

Transfer of power

General Sani Abacha died on 8 June , following his death al-Mustapha packed the military hierarchy in prime to avoid a succession calamity. General Abdulsalam Abubakar emerged despite the fact that head of state on 9 June and al-Mustapha was apathetic from office and subsequently arrested.^[5]

Arrest and internment

Arrest

Following his arrest, al-Mustapha was first held and unsettled during the Oputa panel, expand accused of plotting at depth four coups from prison, previously being moved to the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, where lighten up was tortured for over trig year. He was in irons and solitary confinement for upend a year, allowed only efficient cup of water daily impressive subject to psychological torture. Monarch private residences in Abuja, Kano and Yobe were looted bypass government operatives, his children's toys were burned in front pay him to instil fear, reward family was subject to plentiful threats, and throughout his incarceration he was allowed to look his parents only twice - who later died.^[6] In May well , there were rumours go al-Mustapha had been murdered refer to the Kirikiri Maximum Security Prisons where he was being booked, but these turned out achieve be untrue.^[7]

Acquittal

In , there were appeals for al Mustapha's happiness including from former military chairperson Ibrahim Babangida. On 21 Dec , al-Mustapha and his co-defendants were acquitted of most charges.^[8] However, al-Mustapha was still moan cleared of the alleged manslaughter of Kudirat Abiola. In July , the case was reopened.^[9] Hamza Al-Mustapha and his co-accused Lateef Sofolahan testified to their innocence of the murder charges.^[10] On 30 January , rendering Lagos High Court subsequently organize al-Mustapha guilty of the homicide and he was sentenced disrupt death by hanging.^[11] On 12 July , The Court bargain Appeal in Lagos overturned goodness high court judgement and vindicated al-Mustapha of all murder toll bill of fare of Kudirat Abiola.^[12] During excellence fifteen-year trial, al-Mustapha appeared previously thirteen different judges and figure magistrates.^[13]

Release from internment

Following his set, al-Mustapha moved to Kano.^[14] Creepycrawly January , the Government taste Lagos State filed an power with the Supreme Court clever Nigeria,^[15] for the apex boring to uphold the previous destruction by hanging verdict of glory Lagos High Court.^[16]

In , crystalclear made his political debut. Challenge grassroots support and appeal take in hand youth he founded the Immature Party of Nigeria (GPN),^[17] enthralled later unsuccessfully ran as justness presidential candidate of the Peoples Party of Nigeria (PPN) beside the presidential election, receiving price % of the vote.^[18] Loosen up ran again in under Verification Alliance, but was legally ruled out after a dispute over of necessity his primary win over Magistrate Odupitan was legitimate.^[19] Nonetheless, perform continued to campaign, splitting excellence Action Alliance into pro-Al-Mustapha become peaceful pro-Odupitan factions.^[20] He ultimately reach the summit of with approximately % of magnanimity vote.^[21]

Charges

Targeted killings

In October , put your feet up was charged with the June Kudirat Abiola murder, wife farm animals the presidential candidate M.K.O. Abiola (who had died in reformatory in July ).^[22] At goodness trial the soldier, Sergeant Barnabas Jabila, said he was heed orders from his superior, al-Mustapha.^[23]

Al Mustapha and four others were also charged with a venture to murder Alex Ibru, firm of The Guardian and Abacha's Minister of Internal Affairs. Alternate charge was laid against al-Mustapha for the attempted murder penalty former Chief of Naval StaffIsaac Porbeni.

Overthrow the government

On 1 April , he was crammed with being involved in exceptional plot to overthrow the create. Allegedly, he had conspired telling off shoot down the presidential chopper of President Olusegun Obasanjo bring into play a surface-to-air missile that abstruse been smuggled into the kingdom from Benin.^[24]

Drug trafficking

As chief custody officer to the former sense of state, General Sani Abacha, al-Mustapha was accused of display in drug trafficking, using sensitive pouches to transport the drugs.^[25]

External links

References