SAN FRANCISCO, June 12, (THEWILL) – Major Hamza Al-Mustapha, a former Chief Security Officer to late Gen. Sani Abacha, has revealed that there were eight attempts to topple the military ruler before he died on June 8, 1998, aged 54.
While speaking on Thursday in an interview on the Hausa Service of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Al-Mustapha said Nigerians only knew of three coup attempts that his boss survived.
“Let me tell you something about Abacha, eight coups were staged to topple him before he died.
“Nigerians knew of only three coup attempts against Abacha, but there were eight coup attempts. He died when they were plotting the 8th.
“I am surprised by the way Abacha is being blackmailed. I am surprised because when he assumed leadership, Nigeria had less than $2bn in the foreign reserve.
“But within four years and eight months, he raised it to over $9bn. After his death, all the billions vanished in nine months.
“The person that raised Nigeria’s image and enhanced security is now the subject of insult. But those who shared the money he left are still alive and untouchable,” he said.
He also said the billions stashed in foreign banks during the Abacha regime was not a unilateral decision saying it was reached after a meeting of stakeholders, including monarchs from all over the country.
The former CSO said, “I have said it that there was a period Nigeria was to be sanctioned. So there were plans to keep money overseas so that Nigeria and Nigerians would not suffer when the sanction was imposed on the country.
“We gathered emirs and chiefs from the South and from the North, together with VIPs of that time; those in government and those not in government.
“We met at a place called Camp Bassey Officers’ Mess in the Brigade of Guards. It was there we deliberated on the threat to sanction Nigeria. Many decisions were made,” he revealed.
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