Army forces Al-Mustapha to retire
Maj. Hamza al-Mustapha
A
former Chief Security Officer to the late Head of State, Gen. Sani
Abacha, Maj. Hamza al-Mustapha, has been compulsorily retired from the
Army.
His compulsory retirement, according to a
military source, arose from his unavailability in the Army for a period
of over 14 years, while he was away to face trial over the murder of
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola, a wife of the winner of the June 12, 1993
presidential election, Chief M.K.O. Abiola.
Following
Abacha’s death on June 8, 1998, Al-Mustapha was arrested in October of
the same year for the murder of Kudirat, an offence for which he was
tried for 14 years.
The Federal Government also pressed other charges which did not succeed against Al-Mustapha during the period.
He was subsequently sentenced to death
for Kudirat’s murder by a Lagos High Court in Igbosere on January 30,
2012, but he was discharged and acquitted on July 12, 2013 by a superior
judgment of the Court of Appeal in Lagos.
But his letter of compulsory retirement
indicated that the Army Council took the decision to force him out of
service at its meeting held on August 5, 2013, more than a year after
the Court of Appeal acquitted him.
The letter sighted by our correspondent
on Wednesday was however dated July 14, 2014 and it put the period the
former Head of State’s CSO was in the army at 33 years and 11 days.
It further indicated that the decision of
the Army Council to retire him was based on the provisions of Paragraph
09.02(c)(5) of the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service for
Nigerian Armed Forces 2012 (Revised).
The reason for his compulsory retirement,
“undeployability arising from restructuring and/or lack of
establishment,” is the fifth in the list of nine conditions as stated in
the law which the Army Council can based such a decision on.
The letter with reference number, AHQ
MS/G1/300/226, commended him for demonstrating “good conduct in the
discharge of your duties” throughout his service in the army.
The letter partly read, “You are
authorised to retain your substantive rank of Major. You are also
entitled to gratuity and pension as well as Certificate of Military
Service and Retired Officers’ Identity Card.
“You are entitled to your ceremonial
dress, service dress and mess kit. However, you should wear uniforms
corresponding to your rank at the time of retirement only when you are
invited for military ceremonies; military weddings; memorial services of
National Day celebration and Regimental dinners.”
- PUNCH.
