NIGERIA SICK, NEEDS INSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION -AL-MUSTAPHA

A former Chief Security Officer to late General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has attributed the current unrests in the country to institutional decay saying only institutional revolution would restore sanity in the system.
He stated this on Wednesday evening in Abuja during the second Christian/Muslim interactive engagement on Peace, Unity and Justice organised by the President of Christian Association of Nigeria, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
At the event, the CAN President stated that with Muslims and Christians resolving to tolerate and respect each other’s faith, the ongoing national conference had great potentials of bringing lasting solution to Nigeria.
Al-Mustapha, who was invited to the one-day conference by CAN, maintained that people had to understand that the country was not like it used to be when some disgruntled elements used religion to cause problem and got away with it.

COUP PLOTTERS AUTHORED PROPAGANDA AGAINST ME – AL-MUSTAPHA

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to General Sani Abacha – the late Nigerian military ruler – was in Bauchi State recently on peace and unity advocacy. In this interview with Journalists, he spoke on his status in the military, the proposed National Conference, among other issues. Excerpts:

How powerful were you during the reign of the late General Sani Abacha?

Those who offended the system who also wanted, on the other hand, the general society to believe them that they were good, particularly after the death of General Sani Abacha, initiated that propaganda. Those who found themselves in coup-making and then were arrested, they believed since General Sani Abacha was dead, the only person they can put that blame upon was me. You know, those who were arrested for coup at that time later found themselves in politics after they were released; they believed it was time for vengeance against General Sani Abacha and, in his absence, I became their target. But the me you see is the me I was – no more, no less. Critically, time will tell when some memos are being presented.  That time will come, God willing. I am the way I am. I was portrayed differently but for me service to this country was all I put forward before me.

APC FRETS AS LAGOS CHALLENGES AL-MUSTAPHA’S ACQUITTAL AT S’COURT

• Appeal may hurt party's electoral fortunes in Kano
Six months after Major Hamza Al-Mustapha’s acquittal on July 12, 2013, the Lagos State Government has finally filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the Court of Appeal judgment that set the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late General Sani Abacha and others free of the murder of Kudirat Abiola.
But as the race towards 2015 picks up, critical stakeholders with in the All Progressives Congress (APC) are said to be unhappy with the state’s move and have vowed to pressurise it to drop the case “in order not to rock the delicate alliances within the APC,” THISDAY investigations have revealed.

I HAVE NO POLITICAL AMBITION FOR NOW, SAYS AL-MUSTAPHA

Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer of late Gen. Sani Abacha, said on Monday that he had no ambition to venture into politics or seek for political position in the country.
He made the remark while addressing newsmen shortly after a courtesy visit to the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, at his palace in Kano.
“I have not decided to venture into politics now and I have not been invited into that direction.”
He said his recent visit to some states, particularly troubled areas across the country, was informed by his desire to ensure peace and unity.
“Many organisations and associations actually contacted me with invitations that took me there. I did it with a view to putting a helping hand.

LETTER TO JONATHAN: AL-MUSTAPHA CHALLENGES OBASANJO TO PUBLIC DEBATE

The former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State, Sani Abacha, Hamza Al-Mustapha, has reacted to postulations by former president Olusegun Obasanjo in his famous letter to President Goodluck Jonathan that he (Al-Mustapha) was released from prison to help the president train assassins to eliminate opposition politicians.
Speaking to the Hausa Service of the Voice of America, VOA, monitored in Abuja on Wednesday, Mr. Al-Mustapha challenged the ex-president to a public debate on the allegations he raised.
Mr. Al-Mustapha said he was away in India receiving treatment for injuries he sustained while in detention during the administrations of Abdulsalami Abubakar and Mr. Obasanjo when he heard of the allegations via a letter published exclusively by PREMIUM TIMES.
“I read Obasanjo’s letter and subsequent comments by Nigerians, I would have responded immediately, but I was away in India receiving treatment,” he said.
He also said although his name was not mentioned in the letter, he was sure the former president was referring to him.

LETTER TO JONATHAN...AL-MUSTAPHA REPLIES OBASANJO

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha yesterday challenged Chief Olusegun Obasanjo to produce evidence on his claims that President Jonathan interfered with the murder trial of the late General Abacha’s former chief security officer.
Al-Mustapha, who is abroad, also denied being used to run an assassination squad to target Jonathan’s political opponents ahead 2015 elections.
In his December 2 letter to the President, Obasanjo said Jonathan interfered with the court process to set a murderer free, and organised a presidential reception for him.
The former president did not name names, but it was obvious he was referring to Al-Mustapha who was freed by the Court of Appeal in July over the murder of the late Kudirat Abiola.

AL MUSTAPHA: I’M JUST LEARNING HOW TO USE MOBILE PHONE, IPAD

Since his release by a court weeks ago, after about 15 years in detention, Major Hamza Al Mustapha, chief security officer to late former Head of State, General Sani Abacha, has been striving to catch up with things that are in vogue. In this encounter with Tokunbo Adedoja, this erstwhile powerful man in the nation’s seat of power, speaks on what he has been doing since he gained his freedom and also reveals his other side that is unknown to many

It was a Wednesday evening and there was traffic snarl around the Federal Secretariat in Abuja, as I made my way to a location on a street somewhere around Garki area. On one of the plots on that street, is a storey building with a relatively high perimeter fence and a fleet of about seven vehicles, including an SUV marked NPF. Some youngmen, likely in their early 30s, were seen discussing just by the front door of the building. The main entrance leads to a room which has all the features of a reception, though finishing touches were still being put on the internal fittings.

GROUP WANTS ABACHA’S FORMER AIDE, AL-MUSTAPHA, APPOINTED EFCC CHAIRMAN

The group said Mr Al-Mustapha is a brave soldier
A group, the Northern Emancipation Network, has advised President Goodluck Jonathan to reinforce his administration’s war against corruption by appointing Hamza Al Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to late dictator, Sani Abacha, as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The group made the call at a press conference addressed by its Coordinator, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, who described Mr Al-Mustapha as a ‘brave, fearless and honest intelligence officer’ capable of taking the administration’s corruption war to the desired level.
“While we commend Mr President’s committed war against corruption, we advise him to reinforce the EFCC with an equally committed and dedicated head like Major Hamza Al Mustapha who is capable of moving the graft war to the desired level,” he said.

INSECTS, WALL GECKOS, MY ONLY ROOMMATES IN PRISON — AL-MUSTAPHA

The former chief security officer (CSO) to the late head of state General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, has given a graphic and shocking narrative of his prison sojourn between 1998 and 2013.

Al-Mustapha, who was initially arrested for coup plotting, was later charged to court for both coup plotting and the murder of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, wife of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, Chief MKO Abiola.

Al-Mustapha, in an exclusive interview with LEADERSHIP Friday, said he is thankful to God for saving his life and to Nigerians for their show of love and prayers.

The ex-CSO said he was subjected to unimaginable trauma for actions he took and which were also in the interest of the nation at the time. He added that he was initially kept in solitary confinement for five years and two months without trial, where separate and strange prison laws were made for him from Abuja as against the privileges enjoyed by even convicted criminals in the prison.

He denied insinuations that he ever abused his power as a CSO to the head of state by subjecting fellow soldiers and civilians alike to untold hardship by way of torture.

On what will be his next moves, he said he is committed to a united Nigeria, hence his visits to different people from different political affiliations. His recent tour of some parts of the country, he said, was part of his plans for youth empowerment across the country in order to solve the menace of unemployment.

The full interview below 

I’LL SOON RETURN TO THE BARRACKS —AL-MUSTAPHA

Major Hamza Al-Mustpha, former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Head of State General Sani Abacha, yesterday said he will soon return to the barracks in uniform as a soldier in active duty.
Al-Mustapha who was recently set free after 15 years incarceration for alleged involvement in the murder of Mrs Kudirat Abiola also said his tours of the country to speak with youths has nothing to do with the politics of 2015. He said he was continuing with his youth empowerment which he began in 1984 and continued even in jail.
Al-Mustapha met various youth groups in Lafia yesterday in preparation for their registration for a scheme that is expected to take them off the streets. He told newsmen that he will return to the barracks as soon as the court processes are served on the military high command for him to be accepted back as a soldier.

AL-MUSTAPHA, DOKUBO-ASARI, MOHAMMED ABACHA’S MOVES UNSETTLE NORTH

THE newfound love between Major Hamza al-Mustapha, the former Chief Security Officer to the former Head of State, General Abacha Sanni, and the Leader of the Niger Delta Peoples Volunteer Force, Mujaheed Dokubo-Asari, is currently unsettling political circles in the North.
Dokubo-Asari has not hidden his disdain for any political arrangement that would return presidential power to the North in 2015, and al-Mustapha’s association with the ex-militant is seen by politicians in the region as a ploy to scuttle the North’s chance of wresting power from President Goodluck Jonathan in the next general election.
Apart from this perceived ‘unholy’ allicance, political watchers in the region view the recent defection of Alhaji Muhammed Abacha, the son of the former military ruler, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a move by the Jonathan camp to tackle some powerful politicians who are believed to control political power in Kano, especially the state governor, Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso.

AL-MUSTAPHA SEEKS PROMOTION TO MAJOR-GENERAL

Major Hamza Al- Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer, CSO, to late the Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, , has written the Army High Command, requesting for concessions on his position in the Army.
Sources in the Army told our correspondent that Al- Mustapha is seeking his accelerated promotion to the rank of a Major-General and his consequent retirement with his full benefits paid.
The argument had been that due to his “age on rank”, he should be retired as a Major from the Army but the former CSO is seeking a waiver on the grounds that he was unjustly incarcerated.
For the over 14 years that Al-Mustapha spent in prison, the Army high command had paid half of his monthly salary to his family.

ABDULSALAMI, AL-MUSTAPHA MEET IN KANO

…after 15-year ‘cold war’

Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, and late General Sani Abacha’s Chief Security Officer (CSO), Major Hamza Al-Mustapha met by happenstance on Saturday in Kano, at the residence of a former military intelligence chief.
Although the meeting happened by coincidence, sources told our correspondent that some dignitaries at the venue of the meeting tried to use the opportunity to foster reconciliation between the duo.

KUDIRAT’S MURDER: LAGOS DRAGS AL-MUSTAPHA TO S/COURT

The Lagos State Government has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court against the judgments delivered by the Appeal Court in favour of Major Hamza Al-Mustapha and Lateef Shofolahan in the murder case of Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

The Appeal Court, a month ago, upturned the judgment of the High Court of Lagos which passed death sentence on Al-Mustapha and Shofolahan.

At news a conference today at Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos, southwest Nigeria, Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye said the state government formally filed an appeal at the Supreme Court on Monday against the two judgments delivered by the Appeal Court.

“The Lagos State Ministry of Justice has filed appeal papers against the judgments delivered by the Court of Appeal in the cases of Lateef Shofolahan vs The State and Al-Mustapha vs The State,” he said.

AL-MUSTAPHA VISITS EX-CG OF KIRIKIRI PRISONS

Former Chief Security Officer to General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, who has just been released after 15 years in detention yesterday visited a former comptroller general of the Kirikiri prisons, Mr Iorbee Ihagh.
Iorbee had since retired from the services of the Nigerian prisons and is residing in Makurdi, the Benue state capital. He is an active member and major stakeholder of the newly registered All Progressives Congress (APC) in the agrarian state.
Yesterday, the entire Makurdimetropolis was agog as the released former security adviser stormed the food basket state. Members of prominent political parties including that of PDP and APC converged at the Agan toll gate located at the outskirts of the city to welcome him.

MY ROLE GAVE BIRTH TO DEMOCRACY, SAYS AL-MUSTAPHA

Former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the late Head of State, General Sanni Abacha, Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, on Sunday said his action when Abacha died gave birth to democracy in the country.
Al-Mustapha spoke when he visited the leader of the Niger-Delta Peoples Volunteer Force (NDPVF), Alhaji Mujahideen Asari-Dokubo, in Abuja.
Al-Mustapha stated that God used him to stabilize the country during the confusion that followed Abacha’s demise.
The ex-CSO was recently discharged and acquitted of charges of murdering Mrs. Kudirat Abiola, wife of the presumed winner of the June 12, 1993, presidential election, MKO Abiola.

PDP WOOS AL-MUSTAPHA TO WIN YOBE, BORNO

Strong indications emerged yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party is trying to woo the recently-released Major Hamzat Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani Abacha, to win Yobe and Borno states from the All Nigeria Peoples Party(ANPP).
The President and his strategists have also launched a fresh plot to win more states in the North-West in 2015.
It was learnt that the permutations of the presidency is that the control of some states in the North-West and North- East could leave the North divided in 2015.
The presidency was said to be trying to adopt the strategy of ex-President Shehu Shagari who in 1982 granted state pardon to the late Biafran leader, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

MILITARY BARS AL-MUSTAPHA FROM FURTHER INTERVIEWS

Military authorities may have barred Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, from further press comments over his detention for almost 15 years in Kirikiri Maximum Prison, Lagos.
He was detained over the murder of Kudirat Abiola, wife of the late MKO Abiola, the acclaimed winner of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.
Sunday Mirror investigations revealed yesterday that the former CSO had been handed a warning by the military to stop forthwith further media comments, regarding the issue following his recall into the military.
The last time Al-Mustapha made a press comment over his detention was last Sunday when he paid a thank-you-visit to Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, at the State Government House where he recounted his ordeal in the Kirikiri Prison for the about 15 years he was incarcerated.
Following the declaration by the military that the embattled major was part of the Army, following his freedom, it was gathered that he had been cautioned to stop further media comments until his fate was finally determined by the Defence Headquarters.
We learnt that several efforts recently by both international and local media to extract information from him, via interviews had been rebuffed by the Abacha former henchman, who according to sources close to him had been asked not to make public statements on his detention any longer as military authorities were busy working out issues regarding his fate as a soldier.
Sunday Mirror learnt that Al-Mustapha told some of the media houses that sought to chat with him for the purpose of getting his views on his detention that he could no longer talk to the press on his detention for obvious reasons.
He was however silent on the influence of the military on the development but simply told them that he can no longer grant press interviews.
The former henchman to the erstwhile maximum ruler was released from prison penultimate Friday after about 15 years in detention over the murder of MKO Abiola’s wife, Kudirat and other crimes against humanity.
He arrived in Kano last Sunday and paid a thankyou- visit shortly after to Governor Kwankwaso, religious and traditional leaders in the state for their roles in his freedom. He also visited the graves of his parents who died while he was in detention.
Source: National Mirror

ACF: AL-MUSTAPHA’S FREEDOM TO CHECK NORTH

…as former CSO to Abacha divides military
The last may not have been heard on the release of the former Chief Security Officer (CSO) to late Gen. Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, as there appears to be some ripple effects of the development, both politically and security-wise. This is the submission of the umbrella body of northern political elites, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), which has lamented that, with the freedom of Al-Mustapha, there may be grave consequences for some power blocs in the region.

AL-MUSTAPHA NOT A BRIGADIER-GENERAL, SAYS ARMY

The Nigerian Army has denied social media reports on the elevation of the former Chief Security Adviser to the late General Sanni Abacha, Major Hamza Al- Mustapha, to the rank of a Brigadier-General.
The Director, Army Public Relations, Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, who made the rebuttal in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, described the report as false and misleading.
Attahiru said there were in-house administrative procedures to be followed on such issues.
Some online portals had been awash with reports of Al-Mustapha’s promotion and expected return to the Army Headquarters today but without a direct attribution to official military or government sources.
But Attahiru urged the public to disregard such information.