Al-Mustapha said his detractors wanted to take his life through legal and illegal means because they wanted to take over Abacha’s money after taking over power.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Hamza Al-Mustapha, former Chief Security Officer to the late military dictator, General Sani Abacha, says he has never stolen public funds.
The presidential candidate of the Action Alliance stated this on Channels Television’s Political Paradigm aired on Tuesday.
Al-Mustapha was CSO when Abacha was Military Head of State between 1993 and 1998.
He said, “I don’t have money, I have never stolen N10. I challenged two governments; I challenged Abdulsalam Abubakar’s government, and I challenged (Olusegun) Obasanjo’s government. They searched.
“I was ransacked by bigger international investigative agencies (and the) police. My eyes and thumbprint were taken all around the whole world and they saw nothing. But rather than tell the whole world my clean record, they kept it aside.”
According to him, the persons who falsely accused him of murder, attempted coup, drug trafficking and money laundering allegations did a “disservice” but he has forgiven them.
Al-Mustapha said his detractors wanted to take his life through legal and illegal means because they wanted to take over Abacha’s money after taking over power.
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“Why did they want to kill me? It is simply because of what I know. I found myself in a situation where I refused to compromise Nigeria and that refusal has cost me,” he said.
Al-Mustapha, who was part of the presidential candidates who signed the first Peace Accord in Abuja ahead of the 2023 elections, said he was unbothered with public perception of his ambition.
“I am not concerned, I’m a victim of perception or effect of propaganda over time.
“I suffered from propaganda for a period of 15 years with torture trying to just give me a bad name, just for me not to survive.
“In 2019, that was when we discovered that there were 18 attempts to kill me. As of 2013 when I came out, I was aware of 11 attempts,” he noted.
Al-Mustapha reminisced on his 15-year prison ordeal, saying it cost him psychological trauma but he has healed.