Hamza Al-Mustapha fingers rich, elite as Boko Haram sponsors, drug suppliers

 

Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to ex-Nigerian military ruler, General Sani Abacha, has revealed that the high and mighty in society are culpable for worsening the spate of insecurity in Nigeria by supplying drugs and weapons to armed groups such as Boko Haram and others in other to destabilize the country.

Specifically, Hamza Al- Mustapha disclosed this in an interview with the Voice of America (VOA) on Wednesday in Kaduna.

He noted that this scourge is being perpetrated by highly influential Nigerians; many of whom are keen to protect their source of income. Consequently, he revealed that they are willing to go the extra mile in achieving their aims as the current state of insecurity provides a fitting cover for them to continue to milk the Nigerian state.

Equally important, the former military intelligence operative revealed that these unscrupulous Nigerians spend huge sums in sponsoring crisis in Nigeria in order to perpetuate their selfish ends.

“It is high time that every patriotic Nigerian, anyone who has Nigeria, Africa or the world at heart; everyone should stand up and make personal contributions. Things are not moving as expected. There are people spending their money to cause crisis and it appears they are succeeding.

“From the way they have access to weapons today in Africa; different kinds of drugs and from the kind of people that are given such things and they are using it; these people have shown that the strength they have has started to overpower the laws of African countries, especially here in Nigeria.

‘‘That is why I delved on these issues and other issues pertaining to world affairs.

“If you want to stop them, they are ever ready to use all means at their disposal to fight you. They can even do that in collaboration with their local and foreign allies. They are powerful and can fight any government that tries to stop them.

“Fighting them will require tact, reverting the laws and educating those carrying out the laws and those in government. They should know where they lag behind and where they are found wanting.

“If this arises, if things are to be corrected, toes must be stepped upon, people must be shown the right thing to do so that peace and harmony would be restored,” he said.

MuchTalksBlog reports that Hamza Al-Mustapha came to national prominence between August 1985 to August 1990 as Aide-de-camp (ADC) to the-then Chief of Army Staff, Abacha. When Abacha seized power in 1993, he appointed al-Mustapha as his head of security. The intelligence chief held sway from November, 17 1993 to June 8, 1998. In this role, he was responsible for the security of the regime and established a number of elite military-security organizations.

Other security outfits at the time were the Office of the National Security Adviser under Ismaila Gwarzo; National Intelligence Agency; Directorate of Military Intelligence; as well as the State Security Service.