The Nigerian Army Monday indicated that it would likely reinstate Maj. Hamza Al-Mustapha, into the service following the dismissal of a murder charge against him.

Al-Mustapha, the former chief security officer to former Head of State, the late Gen. Sani Abacha, regained his freedom on July 12 after 14 years in detention.
A Court of Appeal, sitting in Lagos, had discharged and acquitted him and Lateef Shofolahan, both of whom were sentenced to death by hanging over an alleged conspiracy and the murder of wife of the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 presidential election, Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, on June 4, 1996.

The court had upturned a death sentence handed down on him on January 30 by Justice Mojisola Dada of a Lagos High Court.

But Chief of Staff in the Directorate of the Army Public Relations, Col. John Agim, told journalists in Abuja, that Al-Mustapha was still in service.

“With regards to Mustapha’s release, well, I want to confirm that he is still in the army. The case is going to be handled by the army administratively in line with the harmonised terms and conditions of service,’’ a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted him as saying.

Thousands of people, including traders and commercial tricycle operators, had thronged the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, to welcome Al-Mustapha on Sunday as he returned to the city after his 14-year ordeal.

Al-Mustapha, on arrival in Kano, had wept openly at the state Government House, while recalling his ordeal in prison. He said his freedom was like a dream to him.

In an emotion-laden voice, he said: “It appears to me like a dream. Way back in 1998, I was here at Kano Government House in tattered cloth with chains all over me and I was then taken to my residence where they searched my house thoroughly.

“Here I am the same Al-Mustapha coming to Kano Government House as a free man and with happiness all over my face and the faces of relations, friends and other well wishers.

“I and Mohammed Abacha were charged for crimes that we knew nothing about and Abacha regained his freedom, while Almighty Allah destined that I should stay in prison for many years after his release.

“We have forgiven all those that had a hand in what happened to us. And we will forge ahead. During my stay in the prison, I was forced to see my father and my mother twice. I first saw my father in 2011 and secondly in May 2012. He died the same year. The last time I saw my mother was 2006. And she died last year. Let us forge ahead.”

Continuing, Al-Mustapha added: “Members of my family also faced all sorts of humiliation and bad treatment when I was in custody. There was even an attempt to kidnap my children when they were much younger.”